White House Shakeup: Miller Named Chief of Staff After Midterm Loss
The president appointed his longtime immigration policy architect to the top staff role as Democrats gain control of Congress.
By Beatriz Soto ·
Stephen Miller is the new White House chief of staff. President Donald Trump announced the change on Friday, placing his closest ally in the top staff position after his party suffered a defeat in the midterm elections. Miller, who has served in the administration since the 2016 campaign, will now lead the West Wing as the president faces a newly empowered Democratic Congress next year.
Miller is a long-time member of the president’s inner circle. He joined the campaign as a speechwriter and recently held the role of deputy chief of staff for policy. He is best known for shaping the administration's hard-line immigration stance. His replacement, Susie Wiles, steps down from the post.
The leadership change comes as the administration pushes forward with major projects despite the election results. A federal court temporarily blocked the construction of a proposed memorial arch, but the White House launched a new website for the project on Friday. The site describes the 250-foot structure as the United States Military Triumphal Arch. It is planned to sit between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
Personnel shifts are also occurring within the Justice Department. Jason Reding Quiñones, the federal prosecutor in Miami, resigned on Friday. He had overseen the investigation known as the grand conspiracy probe. John Eisenberg, the department’s top national security official, also resigned on the same day.
Economic data released this week showed employers added 165,000 jobs last month. The unemployment rate fell to 4.1%. This figure exceeded the 65,000 jobs economists had predicted. The report arrived three days after voters gave Democrats full control of Congress, driven by concerns over the cost of living.
In Houston, the mayor signed an order limiting police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. He cited the Democratic takeover of power in Texas as the reason for the move. In Paraguay, the Senate voted unanimously to remove President Santiago Peña from office. He is now under house arrest following the collapse of a bank tied to his government.
At Cornell University, the Faculty Senate voted 75-50 to declare no confidence in university leadership. The vote followed a lawsuit alleging a gang rape at a fraternity party in 2024. Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV arrived in Uruguay to begin a three-nation tour. He said he felt better than he looked, just three weeks after lung cancer surgery.
