Trump appoints Stephen Miller as Chief of Staff after midterm election setback
He subsequently announced a move against so-called birth tourism, targeting foreign nationals travelling to the US to have children.
After the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s proposal on birthright citizenship, Miller described the decision as “one of the most destructive and outrageous decisions” in the court’s history, as quoted by Reuters. Stephen Miller, one of US President Donald Trump’s longest-serving advisers and the architect of his hardline immigration agenda, has been named the new White House chief of staff, placing a key figure behind the administration’s domestic policies at the centre of its decision-making.
Miller’s association with Trump dates back to the 2016 presidential campaign. He joined the campaign as a speechwriter and subsequently became a senior adviser in Trump’s first administration, serving from 2017 to 2021. His influence continued after Trump returned to the White House in 2025, when Miller took charge of policy coordination as deputy chief of staff and also served as homeland security adviser. A Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted shortly before the midterm elections found that 54% of respondents disapproved of the enforcement drive, against 36% who approved of it. Defending the administration’s attacks on suspected drug smugglers in October 2025, he said: “These are terrorists and they’re going to be killed. He joined Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign as a speechwriter.
This comes just days after Republicans lost control of Congress in the midterm elections .
Marc Short, who served as chief of staff to former Vice-President Mike Pence, said Miller’s elevation showed that Trump wanted an adviser firmly aligned with him and prepared to confront lawmakers. As per him, Trump was “getting someone who is wed to him” and willing to battle Congress over immigration and investigations. Earlier reporting noted: Trump praised Wiles on Truth Social and said she will continue to work for his political organization. “Serving President Trump in the White House has been the honor of a lifetime,” she said.
Immigration has been his most prominent area of involvement. Miller has long argued for stricter controls and played a central role in turning Trump’s campaign promises on immigration into government policy. The immigration crackdown has, however, become a source of political opposition for the administration. Democrats have indicated that Miller’s role in the policy will come under congressional scrutiny. His political positions also extend to foreign policy. Miller has defended US military operations against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific and supported American and Israeli military action against Iran. He has also backed the administration’s pressure on Tehran through sanctions and a naval blockade. In January, he refused to rule out military action as a means of acquiring Greenland. Wiles also shared a statement. He is currently deputy chief of staff and is a key architect of the administration’s hard-line immigration policies, as per AP.
Earlier reporting noted: Miller is one of Trump’s closest and longest-serving advisers. Earlier reporting noted: Stephen Miller, new chief of staff, has hardline foreign policy views on Iran, Venezuela, Greenland President Donald Trump said on Friday that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff.