Donald Trump has announced that Susie Wiles will leave her post as White House chief of staff and be replaced by his senior adviser, Stephen Miller.
“I am pleased to announce that Mr. Stephen Miller, the current Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, and one of my most trusted advisors, will become the Chief of Staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Susie Wiles, who has done an outstanding job, will be moving over to the Trump Political Operation. I want to thank her for her service as Chief of Staff — She has done a great job!”
The abrupt change came Friday afternoon, only days after Democrats scored a sweeping election victory that delivered a major blow to Trump and Republicans.
The scale of the Democrats’ win earlier this week was so significant that it could leave Republicans without control of Congress for much of the next decade—a bitter outcome for conservatives who had urged Trump to overhaul his political operation.
While the announcement caught Washington off guard, Our News Outlet reported in June that Wiles had been quietly preparing to leave after the midterm elections. The White House denied that report at the time.
Asked about the personnel change Friday, Trump told reporters: “I wanted to make a change. I think Susie’s done a very good job, great job, but … we gotta make moves. Sometimes in life, you have to make moves.”
That explanation differed from the account given by a senior White House official, who told Our News Outlet that Wiles “gave her resignation last night.”
Trump’s public comments suggested that he initiated the transition, while the official said Wiles chose to step down—creating immediate questions over what prompted the departure.
Donald Trump has removed White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and named senior adviser Stephen Miller as her replacement
Wiles said serving in the White House had been an honor in a brief statement issued after Trump announced the change on Truth Social
Wiles was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff in US history
Trump praised Miller as someone who had “been with me from the beginning,” calling him “very good politically” and predicting that “he’ll do a great job.”
“It has been the privilege of my lifetime to have served on his team from Day One, and I am honored beyond words to serve as his White House Chief of Staff,” Miller said in a statement on X. “I want to thank the incomparable Susie Wiles for her years of devoted service to the President and the Country, and for her friendship.”
“The mission now is more clear than ever: Fight with all of our soul to support our President and defend this magnificent Republic.”
Wiles published her farewell message on X shortly after Trump announced the transition.
“Today is my last day as White House Chief of Staff,” Wiles wrote Friday. “Serving President Trump in the White House has been the honor of a lifetime.”
“I’m so proud to have been a part of what we’ve accomplished together from securing our border and cutting taxes to strengthening our economy and putting America First. More than anything, I’m grateful for the extraordinary people I’ve had the privilege of working alongside.”
Her exit follows Our News Outlet’s initial report in June that she intended to leave after the midterm elections.
Although Wiles rejected that report at the time, she departed just days after the election results were announced.
Wiles was the longest-serving Republican White House chief of staff and had been part of Trump’s political circle since his 2016 campaign.
The 69-year-old was the only person to hold the chief of staff position during Trump’s second term. In his first term, Trump went through four chiefs of staff.
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Stephen Miller will begin his tenure as White House chief of staff on Monday
“Today is my last day as White House Chief of Staff,” Wiles wrote Friday on X. “Serving President Trump in the White House has been the honor of a lifetime”
Miller smiles while walking toward Marine One shortly after being named Trump’s chief of staff
The Florida political operative initially earned praise for bringing a calm, disciplined presence to the West Wing and managing the president’s often unpredictable style. Trump and his aides soon nicknamed her the “ICE Queen.”
As the administration faced a growing series of controversies—including Elon Musk’s aggressive effort to cut government spending and the handling of the Iran war—Wiles became increasingly visible in the media.
Late last year, following a revealing interview with Vanity Fair, Wiles delivered sharp assessments of many of the most influential figures in Trump’s Cabinet.
She said Trump displayed “an alcoholic’s personality,” described Vice President JD Vance as a “conspiracy theorist for a decade” and said former Attorney General Pam Bondi had “whiffed” on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
“Very grateful to Susie for her friendship and service to the president and our country,” Vance wrote Friday. “Stephen Miller is an amazing patriot and will do great things. Congrats to him on a well deserved promotion!”
Wiles’ time in office was also complicated by a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer in March, followed by treatment.
She announced in September that she was cancer-free, while speaking openly about the difficulty of her recovery and receiving support from administration officials.
In recent months, reports also scrutinized Wiles’ family, including claims that her daughters’ lobbying work could have benefited from their mother’s access to Trump.
As recently as September, one source said Wiles had been telling people directly that Republicans would win the midterm elections.
Miller had served as deputy chief of staff under Wiles since the start of the term
“Patriots in control,” Hegseth wrote on X minutes after Wiles announced her resignation. He did not mention Wiles, instead congratulating Stephen Miller
After the midterm defeat, Trump was searching for someone to hold responsible, according to insiders who spoke with Our News Outlet.
Those sources said Trump had been calling advisers about Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and his performance, leading some to believe the Pentagon chief’s position could be at risk.
However, Wiles’ departure and Miller’s promotion may protect Hegseth for the time being, given his close ties to Trump’s longtime senior adviser.
“Patriots in control,” Hegseth posted on X just minutes after Wiles announced her resignation.
“Huge CONGRATS to [Miller]— a true patriot and America First fighter. He never backs down — and the [Department of War] is right there with him,” the secretary of war wrote in a separate post. He did not mention Wiles.
Miller’s appointment is likely to draw strong opposition from Democrats, even as Trump has recently pledged to work with them once they take control of Congress in January. As the architect of Trump’s immigration agenda, Miller has become a central target for Democratic lawmakers.
Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, issued a statement after the announcement urging Miller to “lawyer up.”
“Just days after the American people rejected his corrupt and lawless presidency, Donald Trump is doubling down. Stephen Miller is the architect of the unconstitutional ICE raids that have terrorized our communities and kidnapped and killed American citizens and immigrant families,” Garcia said, adding: “Stephen Miller should lawyer up.”
