In Washington on Friday, 6 November 2026, President Donald Trump announced that 41-year-old Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, would become the new chief of staff, replacing 69-year-old Susie Wiles, the first woman to hold the post.

The change takes effect on Monday, 9 November.

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Miller, a longtime aide and architect of the administration’s hardline immigration agenda, steps into the role as Republicans absorb the impact of Tuesday’s midterm elections.

Wiles, who submitted her resignation on Thursday evening, will move to the Trump political operation.

She has served as chief of staff since the start of the second Trump term in January 2025 and is widely credited with bringing discipline to the West Wing.

In a social media post, Wiles said serving the president “has been the honour of a lifetime” and that she remains proud of shared achievements on the border, taxes and the economy.

Speaking to reporters as he left the White House for Florida, Trump praised both aides.

“Stephen’s been with me from the beginning. He gets it, very good politically, and he’s a very good man,” the president said. “Sometimes in life, you gotta make moves.” He added that he wanted Miller simply to “run things well.” In a Truth Social post, Trump called Miller “one of my most trusted advisors” and thanked Wiles for doing “an outstanding job.”

The appointment follows a seismic setback for Republicans. Democrats secured majorities in both the House and Senate, flipping seats in traditional strongholds including Texas and Kansas.

Analysts link the losses to voter concerns over the economy, the ongoing Iran conflict and other administration priorities.

Sources close to the White House indicate Trump was frustrated with the scale of the defeat and sought an aide prepared to advance policy through executive action amid a newly empowered Congress.

Miller has been with Trump since the 2016 campaign and previously served as a speechwriter and senior policy adviser.

In the current term he has overseen much of the mass-deportation effort and related enforcement measures.

His elevation signals continuity rather than a pivot toward moderation. Wiles, by contrast, was often viewed as a steadying influence who ensured the president received full briefings on risks.

Miller responded on social media that it was “the privilege of my lifetime” to serve and that he was “honoured beyond words” by the new role.

He thanked Wiles for her service and friendship. The transition occurs against a backdrop of other personnel shifts and ongoing debates over immigration, trade and foreign policy.

Democrats have already signalled intentions to scrutinise administration actions once they take control of Congress in the new year.

Wiles’s departure also closes a chapter marked by personal resilience. She continued her duties earlier this year while undergoing treatment for early-stage breast cancer and later confirmed she was cancer-free.

The 69-year-old Floridian, daughter of the late sports broadcaster Pat Summerall, entered Republican politics in the late 1970s and has long been regarded as a formidable operator.

As Miller prepares to take the helm on Monday, attention turns to how the White House will navigate a divided government for the remainder of Trump’s term.