Trump says Stephen Miller to replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff

Key points

• Trump announced Friday that Stephen Miller will become White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles.
• The change came three days after Democrats won midterm control of the House and Senate.
• Miller, an architect of mass-deportation efforts, starts Monday; Wiles moves to the Trump Political Operation.

President Donald Trump announced Friday that White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller will be promoted to chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles. The change came three days after Democrats won a landslide midterm victory, taking majority control of the House and Senate.

Trump said in a Truth Social post that Miller, whom he called "one of my most trusted advisors," will start Monday. He said Wiles, who he said has done an outstanding job, will move to the Trump Political Operation. Asked about the move, Trump told reporters: "I wanted to make a change."

Wiles resigns after election losses

Wiles resigned Thursday night, a senior White House source told MS NOW. According to MS NOW, she told Trump, who was said to be angry with her after the GOP's election losses, "let me make this easy on you — I am going to resign."

In an X post Friday, Wiles said serving Trump in the White House had been the honor of a lifetime and that her commitment to the president and the mission would not change.

It has been the privilege of my lifetime to have served on his team from Day One, and I am honored beyond words to serve as his White House Chief of Staff.

— Stephen Miller

Reaction from both parties

Senior administration officials congratulated Miller. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted "Patriots in control," and Vice President JD Vance said Miller "will do great things." Trump's political operation posted a black-and-white photo of Miller captioned "It's Miller time."

Democrats denounced the pick. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Miller "a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands," while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump "learned nothing from his historic defeat." David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to Barack Obama, wrote that for those hoping Trump might work with the incoming Congress, the appointment is "a bucket of ICE cold water."