Hell on Earth: Stephen Miller Is Trump’s New Chief of Staff

Mark Schiefelbein/AP Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily. President Donald Trump is ending a bruising week of electoral humiliation with a clear message: He has no intention of changing tack. In fact, the president appears ready to double down on his worst instincts. “I am pleased to announce that Mr. Stephen Miller, the current Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, and one of my most trusted advisors, will become the Chief of Staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. That’s the singular message of Friday’s announcement that Trump is tapping Stephen Miller to replace Susie Wiles as his chief of staff, marking the alarming further rise of one of the administration’s most publicly reviled figures. The shake-up follows Tuesday’s Democratic sweep across the country, a rout widely viewed as a rejection of Trump and MAGA politics amid a deeply unpopular war and rising costs. But perhaps most ominously, Miller’s ascension signals that Trump’s immigration crackdown will not slow down over the next two years unless Democrats find a way to break it with their new control of Congress. In selecting Miller, who is known for his aggressive, xenophobic rhetoric, Trump also replaces yet another prominent woman in his administration, following the firings of Kristi Noem, Pam Bondi, and Kimberly Guilfoyle. “Serving President Trump in the White House has been the honor of a lifetime. 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,” Wiles posted on social media. “While my role may be changing, my commitment to the President and the mission never will.”