Stephen Miller replaces Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff

President Donald Trump announced on November 6, 2026, that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff starting November 9, following major Republican losses in the midterm elections. Wiles submitted her resignation on November 5 after Trump expressed anger over election strategy and outcomes. Miller, an immigration hardliner and founder of America First Legal, signals a confrontational stance toward the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress, drawing immediate sharp condemnation from top Democratic leaders.

Announcement and transition of White House chief of staff

• ▪President Donald Trump announced on November 6, 2026, that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, effective Monday, November 9, 2026
• ▪Susie Wiles submitted her resignation as White House chief of staff
• ▪President Donald Trump stated that outgoing White House chief of staff Susie Wiles will transition to working with the Trump political operation

Reactions to Stephen Miller's appointment

• ▪Democratic Representative Robert Garcia condemned Stephen Miller's appointment as White House chief of staff, promising strong opposition
• ▪Semafor's Nicholas Wu said Indiana Representative Marlin Stutzman publicly criticized the promotion of Stephen Miller to White House chief of staff as a horrible decision following Republican midterm losses
• ▪Representative Robert Garcia, incoming House Oversight Committee chairman, strongly criticized Stephen Miller's immigration record and advised Miller to retain legal counsel
• ▪The appointment of Stephen Miller signaled that President Donald Trump intends to resist a conciliatory posture toward the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress

Stephen Miller's career and policy background

• ▪Stephen Miller served as a key architect of President Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, including aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement enforcement operations
• ▪After leaving the first Trump administration, Stephen Miller founded the conservative legal organization America First Legal, which filed lawsuits against Biden administration immigration policies
• ▪Prior to being named White House chief of staff, Stephen Miller served as White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser

Susie Wiles's background and health

• ▪Susie Wiles was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff and served longer in the post than any chief of staff during Donald Trump's first presidential term
• ▪Susie Wiles revealed in September 2026 that she was cancer-free following treatment for early-stage breast cancer diagnosed in March 2026