President Donald Trump has named Stephen Miller chief of staff, promoting his longtime adviser to the most powerful job in the West Wing. Trump announced the change on Friday, saying Miller will take over from Susie Wiles on Monday, November 9, 2026 — three days after Republicans suffered heavy losses in the midterm elections.
FAKTA
- Announcement: Friday, 6 November 2026, in a post on Truth Social.
- New chief of staff: Stephen Miller, 41, currently deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser.
- Takes over: Monday, 9 November 2026.
- Outgoing chief of staff: Susie Wiles, the first woman to hold the post; she moves to Trump’s political operation.
- Context: Three days after Republicans lost dozens of House seats and control of the Senate in the midterm elections.
A shake-up three days after the midterms
Trump announced the change on Friday, writing on Truth Social: “I am pleased to announce that Mr. Stephen Miller, the current Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, and one of my most trusted advisors, will become the Chief of Staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026.”
A White House official said Wiles gave her resignation on Thursday night, and Friday was her last day in the job. As he left the White House after the announcement, Trump told reporters: “We’ve got to make some moves.”
The move follows a difficult week for Republicans, who lost dozens of House seats and control of the Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Wiles will move to the Trump Political Operation, and Trump thanked her for her service, saying she had “done an outstanding job”.
Wiles: the first woman in the role
Wiles, a longtime Republican operative from Florida, served as chief of staff since the start of Trump’s second term on January 20, 2025. Before that, she managed his 2024 election campaign. She was the first woman ever to serve as White House chief of staff.
She recently announced she had completed treatment for breast cancer. In a statement on X, Wiles said serving Trump had been “the honor of a lifetime” and that she was “proud to have been a part of what we’ve accomplished together”.
Stephen Miller chief of staff from Monday
Miller has worked for Trump since his first presidential campaign, which began in 2015, and served as a senior policy adviser during Trump’s first term. Since January 2025, he has been deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, widening his portfolio to cover wide areas of domestic policy.
He is widely described as the architect of the president’s hardline immigration agenda, and Trump has called him one of his most trusted advisers. The appointment does not require Senate confirmation, and Miller will take the top West Wing job on Monday.
Reaction in Washington
Vice President JD Vance congratulated Miller on the promotion, calling him an “amazing patriot”. Democratic leaders criticised the choice, saying it showed Trump had not changed course after the midterm defeat, and promised to oppose him.
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