Up First briefing: Stephen Miller; Trump; Congress; Nvidia; COP31 : NPR

Good morning. You’re reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.

Today’s top stories

President Trump has appointed Stephen Miller as his new chief of staffreplacing Susie Wiles. It’s Trump’s first major personnel change since the Republicans’ defeat in the midterms. Miller, who was deputy chief of staff, has been key in shaping many of Trump’s controversial policies, particularly on immigration. Voter data indicates that the Democrats gained support partly due to Trump’s immigration enforcement.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles (R) waves while walking to board Air Force One with White House communications aide Danielle Alvarez (L) and White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller on October 23, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

hide caption

toggle caption
i

Alex Wong/Getty Images

• 🎧 Miller supports unchecked executive power. By selecting him, Trump is signaling his readiness to confront an opposition Congress, NPR’s Mara Liasson tells Up First. The president has also posted on social media that he offered the White House Press Secretary job to Dana White, the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He later said it was a joke. As president, the public takes his words seriously, and the fact that people cannot take his statements at face value poses a challenge for the U.S., Liasson says.

The 119th Congress is reaching its final weeks before a new Democrat-controlled House and Senate step in. Lawmakers’ key agenda item is keeping the federal government openas funding runs out on Dec. 11. They will likely use a short-term continuing resolution to extend funding, because they lack the time and political will to negotiate the typical 12 appropriations bills.

• 🎧 Attendance could be a problem for many of the Republicans defeated in the midterms, NPR’s Eric McDaniel says. With only a two-vote majority in the House, any absenteeism could jeopardize Republican plans to end their time in power on their own terms. McDaniel says Senate Republicans will likely want to confirm as many judges and Trump appointees as possible before Democrats take over in January. Once the Democrats take control, McDaniel says those confirmations won’t happen without significant compromises from the White House.

Massive artificial intelligence chip maker Nvidia is launching an internal investigation after reports that its CEO 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 Jensen Huang to send advanced Nvidia AI chips to China. NPR reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment but has not received a response. China denied the allegations on Monday in a press briefing.

• 🎧 Nvidia plays a crucial role in the U.S. economy as a leading company at the center of the AI revolution, NPR’s John Ruwitch says. Huang has significant access to Trump, communicating frequently and even traveling to China with him. When asked about Huang and the incident, Trump said he thinks “Huang is a fine person.” The U.S. restricts exports of advanced chips to China, including Nvidia’s best chips. Huang has argued that allowing China to buy these chips would slow the growth of its chipmaking industry and benefit America. Despite ongoing investigations, Nvidia believes that neither national security nor its secrets are compromised. The House of Representatives has requested a closed-door briefing from Huang regarding his interactions with a suspected Chinese intelligence asset.