President Donald Trump announced Friday that Stephen Miller will become his new White House chief of staff, describing him as one of his most trusted advisers. Miller is set to take over Monday, replacing Susie Wiles, who Trump said would move to his political operation.
Trump praised Wiles for her work in the role. She said Friday was her last day as chief of staff, adding that serving in the White House had been the honor of her life. Wiles pointed to the administration’s work on border security, taxes and the economy, and said her commitment to Trump and his agenda would continue even as her role changed.
Speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One, Trump said Wiles had done a very good job. He added that he wanted to make the administration “even better,” and that sometimes changes were necessary.
Wiles announced in March that she had early-stage breast cancer, which had been detected early. She later said she was cancer-free. In a September opinion piece, she wrote that determination, faith and support from others had helped her continue working during treatment, and thanked Trump for his kindness and compassion.
The leadership change comes after Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections. The war with Iran and ongoing concerns about affordability weighed on voters, with many focused on the conflict’s economic effects.
A White House official described the departure as amicable and said Wiles submitted her resignation Thursday night. An administration official praised Miller as a longtime supporter of Trump’s agenda and said he had the trust of Americans who view mass migration as a major national crisis.
Wiles worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns and became the first woman to serve as his chief of staff. A longtime ally, she backed him in 2015 and became a co-chair of his campaign in Florida. She held the chief of staff job for 21 months, longer than anyone else in either of Trump’s terms. John Kelly, his longest-serving chief during his first term, served for about 17 months.
Trump has called Wiles the “Ice Maiden,” a reference to her tough approach to her work. She was often described as a behind-the-scenes enforcer, attending senior meetings and appearing alongside Trump at events while rarely addressing the public herself.
Several administration figures thanked Wiles and congratulated Miller. Vice President JD Vance praised Wiles’s service and called Miller a patriot. White House communications director Steven Cheung described Miller as a longtime Trump loyalist who would help advance the president’s agenda. Attorney General Todd Blanche also thanked Wiles and said he looked forward to working with Miller.
Wiles played a major role in Trump’s return to the White House and became one of his closest political advisers. Her move from campaign strategist to chief of staff, however, came with difficult moments and public scrutiny.
Among them was her participation in a Signal group chat where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared details about planned U.S. strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen. The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief was inadvertently included in the chat and later reported on the messages. The administration said classified information had not been shared.
Wiles also drew attention in December 2025 after Vanity Fair published a series of interviews in which she gave candid assessments of Trump and other senior administration officials.
