image copyrightGetty Images
US President Donald Trump on the 6th appointed Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller (41) as his new Chief of Staff. Miller is known for his hardline immigration policies during the Trump administration. The Republican Party, led by Trump, suffered a historic defeat in the midterm elections, which were counted on three days. As a result, former chief of staff Susie Wiles, 69, submitted her resignation.
Trump told reporters that Wiles, who is retiring from the position, "has done a very good job," but added, "Sometimes changes need to be made."
Miller, a Trump loyalist, served as a senior adviser during the first Trump administration. He is scheduled to take office as chief of staff on the 9th.
Asked about his reasons for promoting Miller to chief of staff, President Trump told reporters on the 6th, ``Stephen has been with me from the very beginning. He's very understanding and very good politically.
Supporting Trump even after defeat in 2020 presidential election
Miller was one of Trump's closest aides and continued to support him even after Trump lost the 2020 presidential election. He returned to the White House last year with Trump, who was reinstated as president.
Miller posted on social media praising Trump as "the most transformative political leader in American history." "He single-handedly saved America from those who wanted to destroy it," he said.
Miller thanked Wiles for their friendship and service to Trump and the country over the years.
"Now, our mission is clearer than ever. We must fight with all our heart to support our President and protect this great republic," he wrote.
According to CBS News, the BBC's American affiliate, Wiles submitted his resignation to Trump on the evening of the 5th. Three sources told CBS News that Wiles resigned after losing the midterm elections.
Trump announced in a statement on Tuesday that Wiles will be transferred to "Trump's political operations." It is unclear whether Wiles' staff will remain in the White House.
Wiles wrote on social media that it was the "honor of a lifetime" to be part of the Trump campaign.
"I am so proud to have been a part of what we have accomplished together," Wiles wrote, adding, "While my role may change, my dedication to the President and to this mission will never change."
Mr. Wiles has a particularly close relationship with Mr. Trump and has been considered one of the most influential people in his administration.
Asked by reporters last month if he would replace Wiles soon, Trump replied, "There's no chance." "Susie is here and will be here for a long time to come," he said.
Wiles was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, but announced in September, six months after his diagnosis, that he was in remission.
Highest-ranking administration official to retire after midterm elections
A source familiar with Wiles' situation told CBS News that he originally intended to remain chief of staff until the end of 2026 or early next year.
However, Trump reportedly brought forward his retirement date.
Wiles is not the only person to leave the Trump administration after the midterm elections. Several senior Justice Department officials who had implemented some of Mr. Trump's major policies also resigned one after another after the Republican Party's crushing defeat in the midterm elections.
On the 5th, Harmeet Dhillon, director of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, resigned. The department has focused on cracking down on voting by non-American citizens and dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Mr. Dillon focused on protecting the rights of gun owners and opposed civil rights protections for transgender people.
John Eisenberg, assistant attorney general for the department's National Security Bureau, also resigned. Eisenberg conducted an investigation into media leaks during the first Trump administration. He also led a unit that blacked out millions of pages of federal documents related to the late billionaire ex-defendant Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex crimes.
On the 6th, Florida U.S. Attorney Jason Redding Quiñones resigned. Mr. Quiñones had played a central role in Mr. Trump's efforts to have the Justice Department prosecute people he considered political opponents. The prosecutor investigated a criminal investigation into Trump's handling of classified documents after he left office in 2021, as well as a criminal investigation into contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election.
Image copyrightReuters
Democrats criticize
Miller's appointment as chief of staff drew criticism from Democrats. Democrats have accused Trump of maintaining a hard-line stance even as voters showed anger at Republican policies in the midterm elections.
Representative Robert Garcia, who will lead the Democratic-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said he intends to continue investigating Miller and his "misconduct."
"Steven Miller is the architect of the ICE raids that have terrorized our communities and removed and killed American citizens and immigrant families," Garcia said.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called Miller a "dangerous xenophobic and reckless extremist whose hands are stained with American blood." "(Miller's) presence in the administration should be removed like a malignant tumor."
Meanwhile, Trump administration communications director Stephen Chan praised Miller.
"There is no one who supports President Trump's policies more strongly than Stephen. I am sure he will help the current administration achieve great results in the remaining term of this historic second administration," Chan said.
Who is Stephen Miller?
Mr. Miller was born into an Ashkenazi Jewish family in Santa Monica, California. Since his high school days, he has been interested in politics and has started expressing controversial opinions.
He graduated from Duke University in North Carolina and became an aide to ultra-conservative U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama in 2009. Sessions is the first senator to express support for Trump.
During this time, Mr. Miller advocated hard-line immigration policies and was instrumental in blocking bipartisan immigration reform legislation. He joined Trump's presidential campaign in January 2016 and has remained loyal to him ever since.
Mr. Miller has led Mr. Trump's use of executive orders to advance his agenda and has consistently defended his administration's use of executive power.
He promoted the separation of migrant parents and children based on a "zero tolerance" policy, advocated forcible deportation to third countries, and urged immigration authorities to detain up to 300 people a day.
A strong supporter of Israel, Miller has also taken hard stances on US and Israeli military action against Iran.
(English article Trump names Stephen Miller as new White House chief of staff)
