Stephen Miller, 41, the architect of Trump's immigration crackdown, becomes White House chief of staff on November 9 after the midterm defeat. Here is who he is and what the move means.4 min readNov 7, 2026 07:23 AM IST First published on: Nov 7, 2026 at 07:23 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookIncoming White House chief of staff Stephen Miller walks to board Marine One with President Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House. (Photo: AP)US President Donald Trump has named Stephen Miller, the man behind his immigration crackdown, as White House chief of staff. Miller, 41, takes over from Susie Wiles on Monday, November 9, days after the Republican Party lost control of Congress in the midterm elections. The Associated Press (AP) says the move shows Trump is not taking a softer line with Democrats, who plan to investigate his administration. Reuters says Miller will run the White House as Trump faces a Democratic House and Senate for the first time since his return to office.What the job involvesReuters says the chief of staff acts as the president’s gatekeeper. The person manages White House staff, plans the president’s time and deals with government departments and lawmakers.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller wait for President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to greet families and hand out candy during a Halloween event on the South Lawn of the White House. (Photo: AP)Trump announced the change on Friday, November 6. He called Miller “one of my most trusted advisors” in a post and told reporters, “Stephen’s been with me from the beginning.” Wiles, 69, tendered her resignation on Thursday night, a person told AP. She will move to Trump’s political operation. She was the first woman to hold the post.Who Miller is and how he roseMiller was born in Santa Monica, California. He worked as an aide to Republican lawmakers, including Jeff Sessions, before joining Trump’s 2016 campaign as a speechwriter, AP says. He is one of Trump’s longest-serving aides and one of the few who worked through both terms, according to Reuters.White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, center, waves as he walks across the South Lawn of the White House to board Marine One with White House aide Natalie Harp, right. (Photo: AP)Since January 2025 he has been deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser. Reuters says he held more influence over domestic policy than his title suggested and had the president’s ear.Story continues below this adWhat he is known forMiller is best known for immigration policy. Reuters says he set a goal of 3,000 arrests a day, and that masked immigration officers were sent into towns across the country. Arrests of people with no criminal record and long years in the US rose, the agency says.Also read Stephen Miller to replace Susie Wiles as White House Chief of Staff: Donald TrumpHe also took part in the drive to cut the federal workforce, which led to tens of thousands of civil servants losing their jobs in 2025, Reuters says. He backed US strikes on boats suspected of carrying drugs and praised US and Israeli strikes on Iran.Most ReadVoters were not won over. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 36% approve of the immigration crackdown and 54% disapprove. AP’s voter poll found about six in 10 said enforcement had gone too far.Reaction and what comes nextMiller wrote on X that “the mission now is more clear than ever”, and said he would “fight with all of our soul” to support the president. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth replied with a post reading “Patriots in control.”President Trump is the most transformative political leader in American History — and he has single-handedly saved America from those who would destroy it. It has been the privilege of my lifetime to have served on his team from Day One, and I am honored beyond words to serve as his White House Chief of Staff. I want to thank the incomparable Susie Wiles for her years of devoted service to the President and the Country, and for her friendship. The mission now is more clear than ever: Fight with all of our soul to support our President and defend this magnificent Republic.— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) November 6, 2026Democrats were sharp in response. Hakeem Jeffries, set to become House speaker, called Miller a “reckless extremist”. Robert Garcia, who will lead the House Oversight Committee, said Miller “should lawyer up”, and told AP his party plans to look into the immigration policies.Story continues below this adA White House official told Reuters, “He’s not changing course.” Marc Short, who was chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence, said Trump is getting someone “wed to him” and that hopes for cross-party laws are low.AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementLive BlogIndia vs New Zealand 2nd ODI Live Score: Rain delays toss in Wellington12 minutes agoIsrael Election Results 2026 LIVE Updates: Eisenkot calls for emergency government, warns Israeli democracy faces existential threat57 minutes agoCBSE Board Date Sheet 2027 Live Updates: Date sheet out for Class 10, 12 board exams, check schedule here9 hours agoRamayana Box Office Collection Day 1 LIVE Updates: Ranbir Kapoor-Yash’s film grosses Rs 155 cr worldwide, crosses over Rs 40 cr mark on Friday10 hours agoIndia News Highlights, 06 November 2026: 1 killed, 6 critically injured in fire at Oil India facility in Assam10 hours agoAdvertisement