On Friday, Susie Wiles wrote on her X account, “Today is my last day as White House Chief of Staff.” That same day, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, “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.”

Wiles, regarded as cool under pressure, had been lauded in her position as chief of staff. However, Friday’s abrupt staffing change has the public speculating. Did Wiles’s recent bout of breast cancer cause her to reevaluate her role in politics and yearn for a less flashy position so that she can spend more time with family? Or was she simply the scapegoat?

Unfortunately, Wiles failed to do her job. In January 2025, shortly after she was announced as Trump’s chief of staff (she had been his 2024 campaign manager), I wrote, “Now that the Trump team is about to transition into the White House, Wiles’s goals remain unchanged. On the campaign trail, her job was to help package Trump’s vision for the country and present it to voters. Now, as chief of staff, that remains her goal.” Wiles didn’t sell Trump’s vision and the importance of a conservative majority to the country, and it cost us the midterms.

Wiles is not the only person at fault, of course. However, she was a logical scapegoat for the blue tsunami. Even so, Trump — while praising her work — failed to explain his reasoning for the personnel rearrangement. “I think Susie’s done a very good job, great job,” he said. “But I just wanted to make [a change]. Stephen’s been great, and we got to make moves. Sometimes in life you have to make moves.”

Miller’s appointment sends a status quo signal not just to voters but to colleagues in Washington, DC. Miller is not a popular figure among Democrats or even among some Republicans since he fervently supports hardline immigration policy and sweeping deportations.

“There’s not going to be any opportunity, certainly, to work with Stephen Miller and what he represents,” declared soon-to-be Democrat Speaker of the House Hakeem Jeffries. “And we’re committed to forcefully pushing back against the extremism that they may try to continue to unleash on the American people.”

Even Indiana Republican Representative Marlin Stutzman said Miller is “not liked out here in the Midwest.”

Miller is seen as the voice in the White House egging on tougher ICE enforcement measures, which were a big issue for voters (particularly Latinos) in the midterms. Many have regarded the scope of this administration’s immigration policy as going “too far.” Trump even admitted as much on Sunday, saying in a “60 Minutes” interview, “I think it was too tough.” He continued, “For getting people out, I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out. But I get hurt because we also took people who had good jobs, who created one violation, or breaking the law, and that was that they came into the country illegally.”

Miller, like Trump, is a pugilist. Whichever way Trump decides to turn (or not turn) on his agenda, both will continue to fight with the dogged ruthlessness that has earned them many enemies. Let’s hope Miller’s ability to communicate fiercely will resonate and accomplish good work. Otherwise, it will be a long two years.