Miller Takes Over White House as Trump Drops Wiles Days After Midterm Loss

Stephen Miller is the new White House chief of staff.

President Donald Trump announced the change on Friday. The move came days after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections. Miller currently serves as deputy chief of staff. He has been a central figure in the administration's hard-line immigration agenda.

Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday night. A person familiar with the private conversation said she spoke directly with the president. Trump praised Wiles on his social media platform. He stated that she would continue working for his political organization. Wiles also posted a statement on Friday. She called her time in the role the honor of a lifetime. She expressed pride in the administration's work on the border, taxes, and the economy.

Wiles was the first woman to hold the position. She served longer than any previous chief of staff during Trump's tenure. In his first term, the president cycled through four different appointees. Reince Priebus was fired after six months. John Kelly stayed for 17 months. Mick Mulvaney served in an acting capacity for over a year. Mark Meadows finished the term. Wiles, 69, was known for bringing discipline to the president's chaotic style.

The departure follows a turbulent year for Wiles. She went public with a breast cancer diagnosis in March 2026. She underwent months of treatment and surgery. In October, she announced she was cancer-free based on clear pathology results. In December 2025, Vanity Fair published interviews with Wiles. She described Trump as having an alcoholic's personality. She criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling of the Epstein files. She also called Vice President JD Vance a conspiracy theorist.

Trump defended Wiles after the magazine's release. Wiles called the article a disingenuously framed hit piece. She did not deny the comments. She said she was not an enabler. She told Fox News Digital last month that she had not planned on the mammogram that detected her cancer. Her doctor insisted she take the exam that day. She said early detection matters and that she would be having a very different conversation had she waited.

Wiles joined the Trump team in 2016 as a speechwriter. She managed his Florida campaign in 2016, 2020, and 2024. She was the second woman to lead a winning Trump presidential bid. She previously ran for Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis. Her father was the late NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall. She worked as a lobbyist for Ballard Partners. Her clients included General Motors and the city of Jacksonville.