Politics
U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed his longtime ally Stephen Miller as the new White House Chief of Staff, making a major change to his administration following the Republican Party’s defeat in the midterm elections.
U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed his longtime ally Stephen Miller as the new White House Chief of Staff, making a major change to his administration following the Republican Party’s defeat in the midterm elections. Miller is widely regarded as a key architect of the Trump administration’s hardline policies against immigrants in the United States. The change comes after the Republican Party lost its majorities in both chambers of Congress following its midterm election defeat. With Democrats now holding the upper hand in the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Trump administration could face difficulties in passing legislation, as well as congressional investigations into various other matters. According to Reuters, Stephen Miller will replace the current Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles. Announcing the decision on social media, Trump described Miller as one of his trusted advisers and also praised Wiles for her services. Miller’s appointment will take effect on Monday.
Citing a White House official, Reuters reported that Miller’s appointment indicates Trump has no intention of reviewing his policies and is instead assigning greater responsibilities to his loyal allies. The official said that despite millions of American voters rejecting Trump’s domestic and foreign policies, the president was not changing his position. Earlier this week, Trump said he was willing to work with Democrats in Congress. However, appointing a hardliner such as Miller as Chief of Staff suggests that the president may maintain his tough stance on immigration and other issues. According to Reuters, Trump had been dissatisfied with the performance of his political and media teams even before the election campaign. Following the Republican defeat and a decline in his public approval ratings, he also emphasized the need for the White House to adopt a more aggressive approach.
The 41-year-old Stephen Miller is considered one of Trump’s longtime allies and is among the few individuals who have worked with him during both his first and second presidential terms. After Trump returned to the White House in 2025, Miller took over as Deputy Chief of Staff. However, his influence over major domestic policy matters has extended far beyond his official position. Miller is particularly regarded as a key architect of Trump’s hardline immigration policies. He set a target of arresting 3,000 people every day as part of the crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
To meet this target, U.S. immigration officials intensified operations across the country, arresting even people with no criminal records who had been living in the United States for decades. However, these policies have failed to gain the support of a majority of Americans. According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, only 36% of Americans support these operations, while 54% oppose them. Robert Garcia, the senior Democratic member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said his party would investigate Miller’s immigration policies. He added that Stephen Miller should consider hiring a lawyer to defend himself. Miller has also played a leading role in Trump’s campaign to restructure the federal government, which resulted in thousands of government employees being dismissed during 2025. He also played an important part in the administration’s actions against universities, diversity initiatives and other institutions.
Stephen Miller has also supported President Donald Trump’s hardline approach to foreign policy. He backed U.S. military strikes against boats suspected of involvement in drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. These operations have also raised legal questions. In addition, Miller supported U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, describing a naval blockade and sanctions as effective measures for weakening Tehran. However, the economic consequences of the war with Iran have cost the Republican Party electoral support. It therefore remains unclear whether Miller still holds his previous position on these measures.
Mark Short, who served as chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence during Trump’s first term, described Miller as a loyal aide to the president who would be willing to confront lawmakers on various issues, including immigration and congressional investigations. According to Short, Miller’s appointment does not indicate that the Trump administration expects significant progress on legislation through cooperation with Democrats. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also welcomed Miller’s appointment. In a social media post, he wrote, “Patriots are now in control.” It is worth noting that Democrats are calling for Hegseth’s impeachment over the war with Iran.
The White House chief of staff is considered one of the closest and most influential positions in the U.S. presidential administration. The person holding the post oversees the president’s daily affairs, meetings and schedule, while also coordinating communication between White House staff and other government officials. Sixty-nine-year-old Susie Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday night. According to a White House official, she will now work with Trump’s political team. Wiles were the first woman in U.S. history to serve as White House chief of staff. With decades of political experience, she was known for managing White House affairs in a more organized manner than many of Trump’s previous advisers.
Despite being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and undergoing treatment earlier this year, Wiles remained in her position. Although she rarely challenged Trump’s policies, she played an important role in maintaining discipline in the often chaotic White House environment and advising the president. Four chiefs of staff served during Trump’s first presidential term. Some of them struggled to manage the president’s unpredictable decisions and behaviour.
