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By Andrew Stanton
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Stephen Miller, appointed by President Donald Trump to replace White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles just days after Republicans suffered a blowout in the midterms, is expected to continue his hard-line approach on immigration and national security—and was also told by a top Democrat to "lawyer up."
Trump announced Miller, who has served as deputy chief of staff for policy since January 2025, as his new chief of staff in a Truth Social post on Friday, describing him as “one of my most trusted advisors.” He will start in the new position on Monday. The controversial Miller has long been part of Trump’s inner orbit, serving as senior adviser and speechwriter during the president's first term.
Miller will also likely play a role in handling the new Democratic-controlled Congress.
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Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email.
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Immigration
Immigration has been a major focus of Miller's tenure in the administration. He has been seen as an architect of the Trump administration’s hard-line approach to immigration and border enforcement. Immigration was a cornerstone of Trump’s 2024 campaign pitch, and this is likely to remain a top issue for Miller.
Countering Congress
Miller enters the role at a potentially challenging time, as the White House is about to lose allies in Congress. Democrats will hold comfortable majorities in the House and Senate in 2027, so managing the relationship with congressional Democrats will be an important task for Miller. In January, Democrats are also expected to begin investigating members of the Trump administration—including Miller.
On Friday, Democratic U.S. Representative Robert Garcia, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ranking member, released the following statement after Trump's announcement of Miller's promotion:
"Just days after the American people rejected his corrupt and lawless presidency, Donald Trump is doubling down. Stephen Miller is the architect of the unconstitutional ICE raids that have terrorized our communities and kidnapped and killed American citizens and immigrant families.
"Oversight Democrats will continue to investigate Miller for his misconduct, and we will fight against his hateful policies in Congress and the courts.
"Stephen Miller should lawyer up."
National Security
Miller has defended the Iran war, a likely foreign policy priority for him and the administration. The war has sent fuel prices soaring, is unpopular among Americans and has been seen as a reason for Republican losses in the midterms.
Cartels may also be a focus for Miller, who in March said they “should be treated just as brutally and just as ruthlessly as we treat those organizations.”
The Economy
The economy was seen as a major issue that drove down support for Republicans in the midterms, so addressing issues of affordability and the cost of living will likely be pivotal for the Trump administration over the next few years, especially as the 2028 presidential race kicks off.
Supreme Court
An immediate concern some conservatives will want Miller to approach is the Supreme Court. The incoming Democratic Senate means Trump will likely be denied another pick if a vacancy opens in 2027 or 2028, so some Republicans are hoping conservative Justice Samuel Alito or Clarence Thomas could retire in the lame-duck session to give Trump another pick.
However, neither has indicated they plan to step down.
Miller could play a role in addressing this matter, if the administration chooses to prioritize another nominee or if a vacancy occurs in the final two years of Trump's term.
Maintaining MAGA
Following midterm losses, Miller may also be tasked with trying to reunite the coalition that backed Trump in 2024 but cracked in the midterms, to prevent further MAGA defections down the line.
This is a breaking news article. Updates will follow.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Edward T. Cummins
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