Trump Names Stephen Miller as New Chief of Staff, Replacing Susie Wiles After Midterm Losses

President Donald Trump named Stephen Miller as his new White House chief of staff on Friday, November 6, 2026, replacing Susie Wiles three days after Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. Trump announced the change in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying Miller will take over on Monday, November 9, 2026. Wiles, the first woman to hold the job, will move to Trump’s political operation. Her last day as chief of staff was Friday. The move puts Miller, 41, the architect of Trump’s hardline immigration agenda and one of his longest-serving aides, in the most powerful staff job in the West Wing at a moment of political crisis for the president.

Quick Facts

What Trump Announced on Friday

Trump announced the change himself on Truth Social on Friday afternoon. He wrote that he was pleased to announce that Miller, the current deputy chief of staff of the Trump administration and one of his most trusted advisers, will become the chief of staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026. He added that Wiles, who has done an outstanding job, will be moving over to the Trump political operation, and he thanked her for her service as chief of staff.

The announcement came in a single post, with no press conference and no separate statement from the White House. It was the first major staffing change of the second term, and it landed three days after the midterm elections in which Democrats took back both the House and the Senate.

Wiles confirmed the change on X on Friday, writing that today is her last day as White House chief of staff. Her departure had been expected for weeks. In October 2026, Politico reported that Trump was considering firing Wiles and appointing Miller to take her position. Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday evening, according to NBC reporting, and Trump announced her replacement the next day.

Why Susie Wiles Is Leaving

Wiles leaves at a political low point for the president. Republicans suffered what Trump critics and several news outlets have called a historic midterm defeat, losing both chambers of Congress in an election that has reshaped the balance of power in Washington. The new Democratic majorities are due to take over in January, and Trump will spend the final two years of his presidency facing a Congress controlled by the opposition party.

Wiles was one of the key figures who worked to get Trump reelected for a second term. She managed his successful 2024 campaign and was credited with bringing stability and cohesion to the West Wing during her 21-month tenure. She was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff, a milestone that was widely noted when she took the job in January 2025.

Her tenure was also marked by a personal health battle. She was diagnosed with breast cancer during her time in the job, a fact that was reported when her departure was announced. Trump came under increasing pressure to fire Wiles after the midterm results, and the decision to replace her follows days of public discussion about who should take the blame for the losses. Wiles will now move to Trump’s political operation, though the announcement did not specify what her new responsibilities will be.

Trump also backed Joe Gruters to remain chairman of the Republican National Committee on Friday, urging Republicans to reelect him despite the midterm defeat.

Who Stephen Miller Is

Stephen Miller is 41 years old and has worked for Trump since his first presidential campaign, which began in 2015. He is one of the longest-serving members of Trump’s inner circle, and he has been at the centre of the administration’s most controversial policies in both terms. He returned to the administration in January 2025 as deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, a role that gave him wide influence over domestic policy.

Miller is best known as the architect of Trump’s hardline immigration agenda. He helped design and defend the administration’s toughest immigration measures, and he has advocated for an expansive view of executive power. Over the past year he widened his portfolio to include wide swaths of domestic policy, becoming one of the most influential policy advisers in the White House long before he was given the top staff job.

His promotion places one of Trump’s most trusted and most polarizing advisers in charge of the West Wing. The chief of staff controls access to the president, manages the flow of information into the Oval Office, and coordinates the work of the entire White House staff. In elevating Miller, Trump is promoting a man who has never hidden his views and who has often pushed the president to go further than his predecessors in using executive power.

Miller will become the 33rd White House chief of staff when he takes over on Monday. He takes the job at a moment when the White House is under pressure from all sides, with a Democratic Congress about to take power, a party still arguing over the midterm losses, and a president who has shown he is willing to make big changes to his team.

What the Job Means Now

The chief of staff is often called the second most powerful job in the White House, and the person who holds it sets the tone for how the administration works. Wiles was known for bringing order to a White House that had been chaotic in Trump’s first term. She ran a disciplined operation and kept the president’s schedule and staff under control. Miller is known for something different: for driving policy hard and for pushing the administration toward more aggressive action.

The change matters because of what comes next. Democrats will control both chambers of Congress from January, which means Trump will need to negotiate with an opposition that has just won a sweeping victory. A chief of staff who is a policy fighter rather than a manager may suit a president who is preparing for confrontation rather than compromise. It also matters because the White House will soon be dealing with investigations, oversight hearings, and a legislative agenda set by the other party.

Trump is also heading to Florida on Friday for his first trip outside Washington since the midterm defeat, and he is scheduled to speak at the Kennedy Space Center at 5:30 PM Eastern Time. The Florida trip is his first chance to address supporters in person since the election. Readers can also read our report on Trump saying he will soon decide on resuming the war with Iran, another decision that will test his new team in the coming days.

Reaction and What Happens Next

Reaction to the change has been swift. Supporters of Miller inside the administration see the promotion as a reward for loyalty and for his work on the policies that define Trump’s second term. Critics see it as a sign that Trump is doubling down on the approach that led to the midterm losses, putting his most hardline adviser in charge at the very moment when his party is calling for a change of direction.

Miller takes over on Monday, November 9, and his first days in the job will set the tone for the rest of the term. He will need to manage a White House that is adjusting to divided government, a party that is still arguing about the election, and a president who has shown he is willing to make bold changes. How he handles those first weeks will tell the country a great deal about how Trump plans to govern for the next two years. Readers can also read our report on Hakeem Jeffries launching his bid to become Speaker of the House, which shows how the other side is preparing for the new Congress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the new White House chief of staff?

Stephen Miller, 41, currently deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser. President Trump announced on Friday, November 6, 2026, that Miller will become chief of staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026.

Why did Susie Wiles leave as chief of staff?

Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday evening, November 5, three days after Republicans lost both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. Trump had been under pressure to fire her after the losses, and Politico reported in October that he was considering replacing her with Miller. She will move to Trump’s political operation.

What did Trump say about the change?

On Truth Social, Trump called Miller one of his most trusted advisers and said Wiles had done an outstanding job. He thanked her for her service as chief of staff and said she will be moving over to the Trump political operation.

How long has Stephen Miller worked for Trump?

Miller has worked for Trump since his first presidential campaign, which began in 2015. He returned to the administration in January 2025 as deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, and he is known as the architect of Trump’s hardline immigration agenda.

Sources

• CNN, Stephen Miller replacing Susie Wiles as chief of staff, Trump announces
• NPR, Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as Trump’s chief of staff
• The Wall Street Journal, Trump Names Stephen Miller His New Chief of Staff
• New York Post, Trump fires Susie Wiles after midterm blowout, names Stephen Miller as new chief of staff

Final Thoughts

Stephen Miller’s promotion is the clearest sign yet that Donald Trump is reshaping his White House after the midterm defeat, and it tells the country how he plans to govern for the next two years. He has replaced a manager who brought order to the West Wing with a policy fighter who has pushed him toward bolder action since 2015. Wiles leaves with her place in history secure as the first woman to hold the job, and with thanks from the president she served. Miller takes over on Monday with a Democratic Congress about to take power and a party still arguing over what went wrong. The next two years will test whether his approach can work in a Washington that has just turned against his president.