Trump Names Stephen Miller As Chief Of Staff, Replacing Susie Wiles After Midterm Setback

US President Donald Trump has named longtime aide Stephen Miller as his new White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles after the Republican Party suffered major setbacks in the midterm elections. The appointment puts one of the key architects of Trump's domestic agenda in one of the most influential positions in Washington as the president prepares to face a Democratic-controlled Congress and a series of investigations into his administration.

Trump announced the change on Friday, saying it would take effect on Monday. Miller, 41, has served as deputy chief of staff for policy and is among the president's most trusted and longest-serving advisers. The move signals that Trump is not planning a major shift in his policy approach despite the electoral setback.

A White House official said the appointment showed that the president was rewarding his most loyal aides rather than reconsidering his agenda. "He's not changing course," the official said. Trump had said earlier this week that he was willing to work with Democrats on Capitol Hill.

However, Miller's elevation could point to a more confrontational approach as the administration faces congressional scrutiny, particularly over immigration and other domestic policies. Since Trump's return to the White House in 2025, Miller has served as deputy chief of staff under Wiles, while also overseeing a wide range of policy matters.

He was instrumental in driving the administration's immigration crackdown, setting a target of 3,000 arrests a day. The enforcement drive brought masked immigration officers into communities across the country, with arrests increasingly involving people who had no criminal records and had lived in the US for decades.

The policies have faced significant public opposition. A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed early this week found that 36 per cent of respondents approved of the crackdown, while 54 per cent disapproved. The AP Voter Poll conducted by the Associated Press during the midterm campaign also found that around six in 10 voters believed the administration's immigration enforcement actions had gone too far.

The same proportion somewhat or strongly disapproved of how Immigration and Customs Enforcement had handled its responsibilities. Miller also played a major role in the administration's efforts to reshape the federal bureaucracy, which led to tens of thousands of civil servants being dismissed in 2025.

He was also involved in the administration's battles with universities, diversity programmes and other institutions. During the midterm campaign, Miller frequently targeted Democrats on social media, calling them "extremists, freaks and America-hating lunatics".

He also promoted unfounded theories about election fraud in California and Alaska, AP reported. The appointment comes as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress and pursue investigations into the Trump administration.

Miller himself is expected to be a key focus of scrutiny over his immigration policies. Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said the party planned to investigate Miller's immigration policies.

"Stephen Miller should lawyer up," he said. Miller has also been a vocal supporter of Trump's foreign policy, including military strikes on boats suspected of carrying drugs in the Caribbean and Pacific. He has backed US and Israeli strikes in Iran and defended a naval blockade and sanctions as ways to weaken Tehran, the report said.

His appointment could further strengthen the influence of advisers who favour an uncompromising approach towards the president's domestic and foreign policy priorities. Marc Short, who served as chief of staff to then-Vice President Mike Pence during Trump's first term, said Miller was someone who was closely aligned with the president and willing to take on Congress.

In Miller, Trump is "getting someone who is wed to him", Short said, adding that the appointment did not suggest a strong expectation of bipartisan legislation. Miller, meanwhile, described his appointment as a call to intensify support for the president.