Trump announces Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff
President-elect Donald Trump announced his campaign manager Susie Wiles will serve as his White House chief of staff when he assumes office. She will be the first woman to hold the role.
“Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history, and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns,” Trump said in a statement released Thursday.
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“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.”
What to know about Wiles:
The daughter of the late NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall and a seasoned political operative from Florida,
Wiles is one of the longest-serving advisers in Trump’s orbit.
After helping him win Florida in 2020, she served as his de facto chief of staff during his post-presidency and then led his campaign for the entirety of the 2024 race — a rare feat in Trump world.
Wiles was widely credited for running what was seen as Trump’s most sophisticated and disciplined campaign, which included keeping many of the fringe voices in his orbit at bay.
On election night, Trump credited Wiles during his victory speech, though she declined to address the crowd gathered at the Palm Beach Convention Center. Her willingness to stay in the background has endeared her to Trump and to his allies.
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CNN reported earlier today that Wiles had expressed certain conditions to Trump before she accepted the role of chief of staff — the top item being more control over who can reach the president in the Oval Office.
During Trump’s first term, his chiefs of staff struggled to prevent a roving cast of informal advisers, family members, friends and other interlopers from getting inside the White House to meet with him.
Vice President-elect JD Vance said Thursday that it was “great news” that Wiles has been selected for the role, writing in a post on X that she will be a “huge asset” in the White House.