Trump names Stephen Miller chief of staff, with role beginning Nov. 9

Key Facts

U.S. President Donald Trump named Stephen Miller White House chief of staff, with him set to begin his duties Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, in a change that puts one of his top advisers in the White House’s highest administrative post. Trump said in his announcement that Miller is "one of my most trusted advisers," according to Axios. Miller served as deputy chief of staff before his appointment, according to The Associated Press. Trump announced the decision after Susie Wiles resigned from the post, just days after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections. The appointment moves an official associated with the administration’s hard-line approach to immigration into a role responsible for coordinating work inside the White House.

Wiles submitted her resignation to Trump on Thursday evening, according to a person familiar with the events quoted by The Associated Press. Trump praised her and said she would continue working for his political organization, signaling that she will remain active in his political work outside her White House role. Wiles said her commitment to the president and his mission would not change after she leaves the post. She was the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff and became the longest-serving chief of staff among those who served with Trump. That record is notable given the frequent turnover in the role during his first presidency.

Miller takes the post after years in Trump’s inner circle. He joined Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign as a speechwriter and has been a close adviser ever since. The Associated Press describes him as one of the chief architects of the administration’s hard-line immigration policies. His move to chief of staff places that issue in the broader context of White House management, given the role’s coordinating responsibilities. His appointment, however, does not in itself establish a specific change in immigration, trade or foreign policy. Trump said Miller would begin his duties on Nov. 9, while Wiles will remain connected to his political organization.

The change follows elections in which Republicans lost control of Congress, opening a period of divided government between the White House and Congress. In exit polls, half of respondents said the midterm elections were an opportunity to show disapproval of Trump, while three-quarters said they were angry or dissatisfied with the direction of the country. 70% of voters surveyed said they wanted Congress to impose more checks and balances on the president. The figures reflect the political pressures Republicans faced in the elections as the administration begins dealing with an opposition-controlled Congress. The announcement of Miller’s appointment does not specify how the White House will respond to those results, but places the administrative change in a more difficult political context.

Axios reports that Republicans’ loss of control of Congress is expected to usher in two years of investigations and legislative friction with the president during the remainder of his term. Wiles’ move to Trump’s political work keeps her connected to his team, while Miller takes over the chief of staff’s office starting Nov. 9. The change follows Trump’s first presidency, when four people took turns serving as White House chief of staff, in contrast with Wiles’ long tenure. Wiles also announced in March 2026 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and later said she was cancer-free after treatment. Trump did not announce a broader schedule of administrative changes or subsequent policy steps in detailing the appointment.