US President Donald Trump has promoted his longtime immigration adviser Stephen Miller to White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles just three days after Republicans suffered a major defeat in the midterm elections.
Trump announced the decision on Friday (November 6), confirming that Miller, currently serving as deputy chief of staff, would take charge of White House operations from Monday (November 9).
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Miller as “one of my most trusted advisors” while praising Wiles for her work during his second term.
The president said Wiles would move to his political operation, although he did not explain why he was replacing her.
The leadership change follows Tuesday’s elections, which saw Democrats regain control of both chambers of Congress, dealing a major setback to Trump’s administration.
Miller, 41, has been one of the president’s closest advisers since his first presidential campaign in 2016.
He is widely regarded as a leading architect of Trump’s immigration policies, including mass deportations, tighter border controls and restrictions on legal immigration.
His appointment gives him responsibility for managing White House staff and coordinating the administration’s daily operations.
Meanwhile, Wiles, 69, became the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff when Trump returned to office in January 2025.
She previously managed his successful 2024 presidential campaign and was credited with bringing discipline to an operation that had frequently struggled with internal disagreements.
Following the announcement, Wiles said serving Trump had been the honour of a lifetime and insisted that her commitment to the president would remain unchanged.
Trump went through four chiefs of staff during his first term in office.
