Miller Takes White House Chief of Staff Post After Midterm Losses

President Donald Trump appointed Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff on Monday. This move removes Susie Wiles from the role. It marks the first major personnel change since Republicans lost power in Congress during the November midterm elections.

Miller previously served as deputy chief of staff. He helped design the administration's immigration policies. Voter data indicates that Democrats gained support in part due to backlash against those enforcement actions. Placing Miller in the top position suggests Trump intends to challenge the incoming opposition led by Democrats.

NPR correspondent Mara Liasson observes that Miller supports a wide view of executive power. The choice signals a willingness to clash with the new congressional majority. Trump also posted on social media that he offered the press secretary job to Dana White, chief executive of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He later described the offer as a joke. Liasson notes the difficulty the public faces when taking presidential statements seriously given such inconsistencies.

The 119th Congress has only weeks left before Democrats take control of both chambers. Lawmakers must keep the federal government funded past December 11. They are expected to pass a short-term continuing resolution. There is not enough time or political will to negotiate the standard 12 appropriations bills.

Attendance could become a major issue on the floor. Many Republicans who lost their seats may skip votes. The House has only a two-vote majority for Republicans. Any absences threaten the party's ability to manage the transition. Senate Republicans plan to confirm as many judges and Trump appointees as possible before January. Confirmations will likely stall once Democrats control the Senate and demand White House concessions.

Nvidia opened an internal investigation into Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang. Reports indicated he was involved in a close relationship with a woman accused of being a Chinese spy. The New York Times reported that a Chinese intelligence operation targeted Huang to move advanced AI chips to China. China denied the allegations at a press briefing on Monday. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

Trump said he thinks Huang is a fine person. Huang has frequent access to the president and joined him on a trip to China. The U.S. restricts exports of advanced chips to China, including Nvidia's top products. Huang argues that allowing China to buy these chips would slow its domestic chipmaking and benefit America. Nvidia states that national security and its secrets remain secure. The House of Representatives requested a closed-door briefing from Huang regarding his contacts with the suspected intelligence asset.