President Donald Trump announced on November 6 that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, making a major staffing change days after Republicans lost their congressional majorities in the midterm elections. Miller is scheduled to begin the new job on Monday, November 9, 2026.
Trump said Wiles would move to his political operation and praised her work. The announcement elevates an adviser closely associated with the administration’s immigration policies to its most senior White House staff position.
Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday night, according to The Associated Press, citing a person familiar with the private conversation. In her public statement, she said her commitment to Trump would continue despite the change in her role.
Stephen Miller moves into the top staff role
Miller has been serving as deputy chief of staff. Trump’s appointment announcement described him as “one of my most trusted advisors” and set out the November 9 start date.
The decision moves an existing senior aide into the position rather than bringing an outsider into the administration. Miller has been part of Trump’s political circle since the 2016 campaign, when he worked as a speechwriter.
Reuters describes the chief of staff as the president’s gatekeeper: the official manages White House staff, helps organize the president’s schedule and maintains relationships with lawmakers and government departments.
The role therefore extends beyond any single policy area. It puts Miller at the center of decisions about White House operations, the president’s access to information and coordination across the administration.
Wiles shifts to Trump’s political operation
Wiles was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. She had held the position from the beginning of Trump’s second administration and previously helped lead his successful 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump’s public announcement praised Wiles rather than accusing her of misconduct or describing a policy dispute. He said she had done “an outstanding job” and would continue working within his political organization.
Speaking to reporters after announcing the change, Trump said, “I wanted to make a change,” according to Roll Call. He also defended Miller’s abilities and long association with him.
Wiles’s statement emphasized her continued support for the president. It did not announce a break with Trump or a departure from his wider political team.
Immigration policies draw Democratic criticism
Stephen Miller is widely identified with Trump’s restrictive immigration agenda. Georgia Public Broadcasting’s account of NPR reporting described him as an architect of controversial policies across both Trump administrations.
The same report noted that Miller has also worked on homeland security and advised on Middle East military operations. His promotion places that broader policy experience within a job responsible for managing the White House as a whole.
Democratic leaders condemned the appointment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries attacked Miller’s record, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the choice showed Trump had not learned from the election defeat, according to NPR’s report.
Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia also criticized the decision. In a statement reported by Roll Call, he argued that elevating Miller showed the president was maintaining the approach voters had rejected.
Those criticisms are political assessments of Miller’s record and Trump’s response to the election. Trump, by contrast, presented the appointment as a promotion for a trusted adviser.
A transition before the next Congress
The staffing announcement came three days after the November 3 midterms. Democrats are preparing to take control of the House and Senate in the next Congress, rather than assuming their new congressional authority immediately after Election Day.
Roll Call reported that the new Congress will be seated on January 3. The personnel change comes as the administration faces incoming lawmakers seeking investigations as well as action on household costs.
The next confirmed step is Stephen Miller’s scheduled start on November 9. Trump has said Wiles will continue in his political operation, while Miller takes responsibility for the White House chief-of-staff role.
