President Trump appoints Stephen Miller as chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles

President Trump announced that Stephen Miller will serve as the White House chief of staff, succeeding Susie Wiles, who said Friday would be her last day. Miller, 41, has been a senior adviser since Trump’s 2016 campaign and played a key role in the administration’s immigration policies, including the 2017 travel ban and the recent mass-deportation effort.

Democratic leaders condemned the appointment. Representative Hakeem Jeffries called Miller “a dangerous xenophobe” and said he should have been fired. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the move showed that President Trump had “learned nothing” from the party’s midterm losses.

Sources close to the president said Miller pitched the job as a way to help wind down the war in Iran, a conflict that many of Trump’s supporters view as a betrayal. They added that Miller is likely to keep the administration focused on culture-war issues such as strict immigration enforcement and opposition to diversity initiatives.

Wiles, the first woman to hold the chief-of-staff position, had helped steer Trump to his 2024 election victory. In a statement posted on social media, she described working for the president as “the honor of a lifetime” and affirmed her continued commitment to the administration’s mission.

Republican officials noted that Miller has long been considered a conduit for the president’s views. Senator Jim Banks said Miller has “been channeling the president when he speaks” and that the two have discussed a second-term agenda for years.

The appointment comes as the administration prepares for congressional investigations by Democrats and further staff changes following the loss of Republican majorities in the House and Senate.