Susie Wiles Steps Down as White House Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller Takes Over

President Donald Trump announced on Friday, November 6, that Susie Wiles is leaving her post as White House chief of staff. Stephen Miller, until now deputy chief of staff, takes her place from Monday, November 9.¹² The change comes just days after the midterm elections, in which Republicans lost control of Congress.¹²

What Trump announced

Trump broke the news in a post on Truth Social, his social network. He called Miller “one of my most trusted advisers” and said that Wiles, who did “an outstanding job,” will move to the Trump Political Operation, the president’s political organization.¹³ A White House official said Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday evening. On X she wrote that Friday would be her last day and that serving Trump at the White House was “the honor of a lifetime.”¹⁴ Speaking to reporters, Trump said he wanted a change and that you have to “make moves.” He described Miller as a “great manager,” “very good politically,” and with him “from the beginning.”⁵⁶ Wiles, 69, was the first woman to serve as chief of staff. This year she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and in September she announced that she had recovered.⁵³

Who Stephen Miller is

In Trump’s second term, Miller has served as deputy chief of staff. He is regarded as the architect of the hard line on immigration, including the goal of 3,000 arrests a day.³⁴ According to Reuters, White House officials believe his appointment signals an aggressive approach on domestic policy. One of them said: “He’s not changing course.”²⁴ The Los Angeles Times writes that Wiles was seen as a relatively moderate voice in Trump’s circle.⁶ Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said that Trump “learned nothing” from the defeat. Republican Senator Thom Tillis also criticized the choice, calling it a “colossal mistake” and urging the president to reconsider.¹⁷

Calley Means’s accusations against Wiles

On Friday, Calley Means, a former senior health adviser who resigned from a federal post two weeks ago after a clash with the White House, accused Wiles in a two-hour interview with podcaster Joe Rogan. According to him, the chief of staff gave in to pressure from lobbyists and prioritized fundraising over the health of Americans.⁸ Means claims that Wiles did not back his efforts to make children’s diets healthier, citing the sugar industry’s need for money. He also says her staff pushed for more authorizations for flavored e-cigarettes, a priority of big tobacco companies that in 2026 have donated at least $20 million to the Republican Party.⁸ He adds that the administration yielded to pressure from the kratom industry, a product often called “gas station heroin,” to soften the proposed restrictions.⁸ “Susie told me many times: we need money for the midterms, Calley,” Means recounted. According to The Hill, he also claimed that Wiles had a “total grip” on every policy decision.⁸⁹ Means is an ally of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and helped build the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, which calls for policies to improve Americans’ health. The accusations about contacts with lobbyists and about funding are his.⁹ Wiles was not available for comment. White House spokeswoman Allison Schuster did not respond to questions about Means’s remarks. In a written statement she said Trump has taken “incredible steps” to make America healthy again, citing the new dietary guidelines and the effort to remove artificial ingredients from food.⁸

What changes

The chief of staff post goes to an adviser known for his uncompromising positions on immigration; according to Reuters, Trump now has to deal with a Democratic-led Congress and possible investigations into his administration.²⁴ Reuters also writes that, after the defeat, Trump may rely more on executive powers to advance his domestic agenda. For this reason, the appointment of Miller, a supporter of a presidency with broad powers, suggests a more confrontational line.² In Trump’s message, Wiles remains in the president’s political orbit, while Means’s accusations about health policies are statements by a former collaborator, to which the White House responded only by defending Trump’s record.⁸¹

This article was written by artificial intelligence from the sources cited, without human review. Automatic newsroom by Redazia.

Sources

Footnotes

1. Susie Wiles out, Stephen Miller in, as Trump’s chief of staff, The Hill, 2026-11-06 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

2. Trump promotes Stephen Miller to chief of staff role, replacing Susie Wiles, The Straits Times · World, 2026-11-06 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

3. Stephen Miller to Be Trump’s New Chief of Staff, Replacing Susie Wiles, Time, 2026-11-06 ↩ ↩² ↩³

4. Trump promotes Stephen Miller to chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles, Dawn, 2026-11-06 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

5. Stephen Miller to become Trump’s new White House chief of staff, The Guardian · US, 2026-11-06 ↩ ↩²

6. Trump names Stephen Miller chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles, Los Angeles Times · World & Nation, 2026-11-06 ↩ ↩²

7. Tillis says Miller is ‘worst of all possible choices’ for chief of staff role, The Hill, 2026-11-07 ↩

8. Susie Wiles, Trump’s Chief of Staff, Accused of Blocking Health Policies to Attract Donations, The New York Times · Business, 2026-11-06 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

9. Ex-RFK Jr adviser bashes White House on MAHA priorities, The Hill, 2026-11-07 ↩ ↩²