President Donald Trump announced Friday that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, elevating the longtime adviser who helped shape his immigration crackdown. Miller will take over Monday, Nov. 9, becoming the seventh Jewish American to hold the position and the first to serve in the role under Trump.
The announcement came days after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections. Trump said Wiles would move to his political operation and praised her work in the White House. CBS News reported that Wiles submitted her resignation Thursday night, citing a U.S. official.
Wiles, the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff, built much of her career in Florida Republican politics. She led Ron DeSantis’ successful 2018 campaign for governor and later helped run Trump’s winning 2024 presidential campaign. She had served as his chief of staff since he returned to office in January 2025.
Miller joined Trump’s 2016 campaign as a speechwriter and served as a senior adviser during his first term. In Trump’s second term, he has served as deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, helping lead the administration’s deportation effort. His immigration record has drawn criticism since Trump’s first term, when the administration’s “zero tolerance” policy led to the separation of thousands of children from their families at the southern border. As chief of staff, Miller will oversee the broader White House staff and coordinate the president’s priorities across policy areas.
A history dating back to Reagan
Kenneth Duberstein became the first Jewish White House chief of staff in July 1988. Like Miller, he was promoted from deputy chief of staff. President Ronald Reagan appointed him after Howard Baker resigned, and Duberstein served through the end of Reagan’s presidency in January 1989. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported the milestone at the time.
Five Jewish Americans held the position between Duberstein and Miller. Joshua Bolten served under George W. Bush. Barack Obama had two Jewish chiefs of staff, Rahm Emanuel and Jack Lew. Joe Biden’s two chiefs of staff, Ron Klain and Jeff Zients, were both Jewish. Miller will become the third Jewish American to hold the job under a Republican president.
