Why Trump Picked Stephen Miller as Top Aide

4 min read

President Donald Trump named Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff on Friday, November 6, 2026. Miller will replace Susie Wiles starting Monday.

Key Points

Stephen Miller becomes White House chief of staff on Monday, November 9, 2026.
Susie Wiles leaves the post and moves to Trump’s political operation.
The change comes days after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections.

Stephen Miller Is the New Chief of Staff

Trump shared the news in a post on Truth Social, his social media site. He called Miller “one of my most trusted advisors,” Al Jazeera reported.

Miller currently serves as deputy chief of staff. He will take the top staff job on Monday, according to Trump’s post.

The chief of staff runs the daily work of the White House. The job includes managing staff, the President’s schedule and the flow of policy decisions.

Good to know. A new chief of staff can change who gets time with the President and which issues move first.

What Happens to Susie Wiles

Wiles is Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff. She was also the first woman to hold the job, the Associated Press reported through the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

Trump praised her work and said she will join his political organization. Wiles called her time in the White House “the honor of a lifetime.”

She also said her commitment to the President and his mission will not change.

Why Trump Picked Miller

Trust appears to be the biggest reason. Miller joined Trump’s 2016 campaign as a speechwriter. He is one of the President’s closest and longest-serving advisers.

Before that, Miller worked for Senator Jeff Sessions. Sessions later became Trump’s first attorney general.

Miller is also known as the main architect of the administration’s hard-line immigration and deportation policies. His promotion suggests that immigration will stay at the center of Trump’s agenda.

The timing matters too. The change came three days after the November 3 midterm elections, when Democrats won both the House and the Senate.

Cable News Network (CNN) reported, citing unnamed sources, that Trump was angry about the results. The White House has not publicly linked the move to the election.

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Before and After the Shakeup

Role	Before	From November 9
White House chief of staff	Susie Wiles	Stephen Miller
Susie Wiles	Chief of staff	Trump political operation
Stephen Miller	Deputy chief of staff	Chief of staff

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Criticism After the Midterms

The move did not come without pushback. After the election losses, unnamed Republican sources began criticizing Miller in the press, Political Wire reported, citing The New Republic.

Democrats are also expected to look into Miller’s work once they control Congress, according to Al Jazeera. The new Congress begins in January 2027.

Supporters see Miller as a loyal adviser who knows Trump’s goals well. Critics argue his immigration policies hurt Republicans with some voters. Both views will shape how people judge his time in the job.

Why It Matters and What Comes Next

Miller starts on Monday. More news about other staff changes may follow in the coming weeks. The President’s plans for the rest of his term may also shift.

You can follow official updates on the White House website. For more on the election itself, read our guide to what the 2026 midterm results change for you.

Try this today. Look up who will represent you in the new Congress using the official House lookup tool and the Senate contact list.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Stephen Miller start as chief of staff?

Miller starts on Monday, November 9, 2026, according to Trump’s announcement.

Who was chief of staff before Stephen Miller?

Susie Wiles held the job from the start of Trump’s second term in January 2025 until November 2026.

Is Election Day a holiday in the United States?

No, it is not a federal holiday. Our Election Day explainer covers the details.

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Editor’s Note

This story is accurate as of November 7, 2026. Details about staff changes may develop over the coming days. Digieh will update this article if the White House shares more information.

Spot an error in this article? Please contact us at support@digieh.com or read our Corrections Policy.

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