President Donald Trump on Friday named Stephen Miller, his deputy chief of staff for policy, as the new White House chief of staff. Miller replaces Susie Wiles, who has held the job since the start of Trump’s second term and will move to his political operation, according to the Associated Press and Fox News. Miller is set to take over on Monday, Nov. 9.
Wiles submitted her resignation Thursday night, according to a person familiar with the conversation cited by the AP. A White House official told Fox News the decision was amicable. In her own statement, Wiles said Friday was her last day as chief of staff and called the job the honor of a lifetime.
Who is Stephen Miller?
Miller, 41, is one of Trump’s longest-serving advisers. He joined Trump’s 2016 campaign as a speechwriter and served in the first Trump administration. In the second term, he has served as deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser. The AP describes him as a key architect of the administration’s immigration policies, and he has also played a leading role in the administration’s anti-fraud task force.
Trump described Miller as one of his most trusted advisers and, according to the AP, praised him as a strong manager with good political instincts.
Wiles’ tenure
Wiles, 69, was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. Fox News reported she held the job for about 21 months, longer than any of Trump’s previous chiefs of staff. A longtime Florida political strategist, she first backed Trump in 2015 and worked on his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. She was widely seen as a behind-the-scenes manager who rarely spoke publicly.
Her time in the role included some controversies, including scrutiny over a Signal group chat about planned military strikes in Yemen and a 2025 Vanity Fair article in which she was quoted giving blunt assessments of Trump and other officials. In March she disclosed an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis, and in September she said she was cancer free. Trump thanked her on social media, writing that she had done a great job.
Timing after the midterms
The change comes days after Tuesday’s midterm elections, in which Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate. Asked whether the election results drove the decision, Trump said, according to the AP, “Not because of the election. It’s just time.”
Congress returns for a lame-duck session next week with a Dec. 11 government funding deadline, and Democrats are weighing how to use that deadline in debates over spending. In January, Democrats will take over House and Senate committees, giving them new power to hold hearings and investigate the administration.
How each side is reacting
Republicans and administration officials praised the choice. Vice President JD Vance called Miller “an amazing patriot” and congratulated him on a well-deserved promotion, Fox News reported. White House communications director Steven Cheung also praised Miller, and Attorney General Todd Blanche said he looked forward to working with him.
Democrats criticized the move. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, who is expected to chair the House Oversight Committee in the new Congress, said Trump was doubling down on his approach days after the election and pointed to Miller’s role in immigration enforcement, the AP reported. Garcia also suggested Miller should hire a lawyer, signaling that Democrats plan to scrutinize his record.
The AP noted that its VoterPoll survey found about 6 in 10 voters felt immigration enforcement had gone too far. Supporters of the administration’s approach argue that strong enforcement and anti-fraud efforts are what many voters asked for in 2024. Both views are likely to shape how the White House and the new Congress deal with each other in 2027.
The shake-up continued Saturday, when Trump said he had offered the vacant press secretary job to UFC CEO Dana White. That offer had not been confirmed by the White House as of Saturday evening.
Why it matters for families
The chief of staff manages the White House, controls the president’s schedule and helps decide which issues reach his desk. That makes the role important in upcoming decisions on government funding, immigration, the conflict with Iran and the cost of living, all of which affect household budgets and everyday life.
What to watch next
- Who fills Miller’s former policy role and whether more senior staff changes follow.
- How the White House approaches the Dec. 11 funding deadline with the outgoing Congress.
- Whether the incoming Democratic majorities seek testimony or documents involving Miller.
Upstormed News will continue to follow the transition.
Read more: Jeffries launches speaker bid as Scalise and Jordan vie to lead House GOP
What do you think of Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff? Tell us in the comments.
Sources: Associated Press via NBC4 Washington, “Trump replaces Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff” (November 6, 2026); Fox News, “Trump names Stephen Miller new White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles” (November 6, 2026); Associated Press via PBS NewsHour, “Trump says he’s asked UFC’s Dana White to be his press secretary” (November 7, 2026).
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