Trump names Stephen Miller as new chief of staff

US President Donald Trump has reshuffled his administration following a major Republican defeat in the US midterm elections, appointing longtime ally and current Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to replace White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Miller will assume the new role on Monday (November 9).

Trump announced the appointment in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Friday (November 6). He described Miller as one of his most trusted advisers. Wiles, meanwhile, will join the team overseeing Trump's political operations after stepping down from her White House position.

Announcing the appointment, Trump said Miller was an exceptionally trusted adviser and expressed confidence that he would perform well in the new role. The US president also praised Wiles's performance as chief of staff. Speaking to reporters, Trump said Wiles had done a good job but that it was time for a change in the administration.

In a statement posted on social media following Trump's announcement, Wiles said Friday would be her final day as White House chief of staff. She described the opportunity to work with the president as one of the greatest honours of her life. She said she was proud to have contributed to the administration's achievements in strengthening border security, cutting taxes, improving the economy and implementing the "America First" agenda.

Wiles added that despite the change in her position, she would continue to support Trump and his political objectives.

Wiles managed Trump's campaign during the 2024 presidential election. After he returned to power for a second term, Trump appointed her White House chief of staff, making her the first woman to hold the position. She has served longer in the role than any other chief of staff during Trump's current term. During his first presidency, Trump went through four chiefs of staff.

At 41, Stephen Miller is a longtime political ally of Trump. He joined Trump's first presidential campaign in 2016 as a speechwriter and later served as a senior adviser in the White House. He currently serves as deputy chief of staff as well as an adviser on homeland security.

Miller has played a key role in shaping and implementing the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies. He is widely regarded as one of the principal architects of the administration's measures to deport undocumented immigrants and tighten border controls.

However, Miller has faced criticism over the way those immigration policies have been implemented. His role also came under scrutiny in January this year after two protesters were killed in shootings involving immigration officers. Before joining Trump's team, Miller worked for former Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama.