Donald Trump has announced that his chief of staff Susie Wiles will be replaced by her hardline deputy Stephen Miller on Monday.
The US president made the announcement on Friday, local time, in a social media post.
Mr Trump thanked Ms Wiles for doing an “outstanding job” and said she would move to a different role in his “political operation”.
In reality, the switch sidelines one of his most senior staff members, whom he said as recently as last month had “zero chance” of replacing.
Stephen Miller said he was ‘honoured beyond words’ to serve in his new position. (Reuters: Kent Nishimura)
“I want to thank her for her service as chief of staff,” Mr Trump’s post read. “She has done a great job!”
Later, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House he “wanted to make a change”.
It has been widely speculated on Capitol Hill that Mr Trump would reshuffle his administration after his Republican Party’s disastrous performance at this week’s midterm elections.
The GOP lost control of both the House and Senate in what has been described as an emphatic rebuke of Mr Trump’s second term so far.
Susie Wiles is leaving her White House chief of staff role. (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)
In March, Ms Wiles announced she would be taking time away from her role after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Conservative voices, including former MAGA heavyweight Steve Bannon, have previously called for Ms Wiles to resign, although more moderate Republicans view her as a stabilising force in the White House.
Analysts have told the ABC they believe Mr Trump’s administration lost its way after Ms Wiles’s health battle began.
“Serving President Trump in the White House has been the honour of a lifetime,” Ms Wiles said in a social media post on Friday, local time.
“I’m so proud to have been a part of what we’ve accomplished together from securing our border and cutting taxes to strengthening our economy and putting America First.”
Mr Miller is best known as the architect of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
The 41-year-old has long helped shape immigration policy in the GOP.
He was Mr Trump’s chief immigration advisor during the president’s first term.
Before that, Mr Miller worked for Senator Jeff Sessions, who was renowned as one of the chamber’s loudest and most uncompromising voices on the subject.
Most recently, Mr Miller has driven the push for mass deportations, pressing ICE leadership to raise arrest numbers and publicly telling officers they would have “federal immunity in the conduct of your duties”.
“Stephen gets it, he’ll do a great job,” Mr Trump said.
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In a post on X, Mr Miller said: “It has been the privilege of my lifetime to have served on his team from day one, and I am honoured beyond words to serve as his White House chief of staff.
“I want to thank the incomparable Susie Wiles for her years of devoted service to the President and the country, and for her friendship.
“The mission now is more clear than ever: Fight with all of our soul to support our President and defend this magnificent Republic.”
Mr Miller is known for his attacks on immigrants and the Democratic Party, whom he last year described as “freaks, weirdos, losers and crazies” in an interview on Fox News.
After Mr Miller was appointed, the Democratic Party’s House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described him as “a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands”.
“His presence in government should be eradicated like a malignant tumour,” he wrote in a social media post. “Fire him today.”
Source: www.abc.net.au
