President Trump announced on Friday that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, effective Monday. The move follows the GOP’s loss of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections, according to an announcement from the White House.

President Trump called Miller one of his “most trusted advisors” and said, “Stephen’s been with me since the beginning. He gets it,” according to an announcement from the White House. Wiles said in a statement, “Today is my last day as White House Chief of Staff,” and added, “While my role may be changing, my commitment to the President and the mission never will.”

The change comes after Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections, a major blow to Trump, according to NPR and Fox News.

A White House official said the decision was “very amicable” and that Wiles handed her resignation Thursday night. Trump said Wiles would continue to work for him on political operations, according to NPR.

Voters supported Democrats in part because of Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement, according to data from NPR. The midterm losses were also influenced by the war with Iran and persistent affordability concerns, as voters weighed the economic toll of the conflict, Fox News reported.

Miller currently serves as deputy chief of staff in the White House and as an advisor to the Department of Homeland Security, according to NPR. He has been a fixture in Trump’s circles since 2016, focusing on immigration and advising on military operations in the Middle East. Miller is known for his rhetorical pugnacity and has been unapologetic for controversial actions, particularly aggressive anti-immigration crackdowns popular with Trump’s core base, NPR reported.

A White House official praised the pick: “A great pick. He has the trust of millions of Americans who understand that reversing mass migration is the crisis of our time,” according to Fox News.

Vice President Vance wrote, “Very grateful to Susie for her friendship and service to the president and our country. Stephen Miller is an amazing patriot and will do great things,” according to Fox News. White House communication director Steven Cheung called Miller “a Trump OG” and “the biggest advocate for the Trump agenda.” Attorney General Todd Blanche thanked Wiles and said, “Looking forward to continuing our work with my good friend Stephen Miller as Chief.”

Democratic leaders offered sharp criticism of the appointment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said: “Stephen Miller is a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands. His presence in government should be eradicated like a malignant tumor. Fire him today,” according to NPR. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: “Donald Trump learned nothing from his historic defeat. Stephen Miller is the architect of the most barbaric, inhumane policies of this administration. Trump couldn’t have made a worse choice.”

Wiles was the nation’s first female White House chief of staff and served for 21 months, making her Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff across both terms, according to NPR and Fox News. She built a reputation as a strict manager who reduced staff turnover and press leaks that plagued Trump’s first term. Wiles worked on Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns and was dubbed the “Ice Maiden” by Trump for her hard-nosed approach, Fox News reported. She was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in March 2026 and announced she was cancer free in September, according to NPR and Fox News.

Wiles faced scrutiny over her involvement in a Signal group chat in which Secretary of War Pete Hegseth shared sensitive details about U.S. military strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen; the chat inadvertently included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, according to Fox News. In December 2025, Vanity Fair published candid interviews where Wiles offered blunt assessments of Trump and senior officials. Wiles previously told Vanity Fair that Trump “has an alcoholic’s personality,” but that she was accustomed to dealing with such temperaments, NPR reported.