Stephen Miller pledged his “absolute loyalty” and “total devotion” to Donald Trump after being elevated to the White House chief of staff, prompting enthusiastic praise from the president’s MAGA supporters.
Trump announced Friday that Miller would assume the influential role on Monday, while Susie Wiles, known in Washington as the “ice queen,” would shift to oversee the Trump Political Operation.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the appointment at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, Miller praised Trump’s record and vowed to advance the president’s agenda.
“It was the privilege of a lifetime to join President Trump all the way back in 2015 when he came down that golden escalator,” Miller told the gathering to applause. “If it was not for President Trump, the United States of America would not exist right now.”
Miller credited Trump with rescuing the country’s military, economy and border, while portraying him as the leader who protected America from threats both overseas and at home.
“This man saved America,” he said. “He saved our military from collapse, he saved our economy from destruction, he saved our border from annihilation and he saved our country from threats at home and abroad which would’ve been the end of the American dream forever.”
He also pointed to the assassination attempts against Trump and the legal cases Democrats pursued against him during his political career.
“This man took a bullet for us, he faced down life in prison for us, he saved the Republican Party from the ash heap of history and has made it stronger, more popular and more resilient than ever before,” Miller said.
Miller urged Republicans to remain firmly behind Trump, despite the “blue tsunami” in the midterm elections that stripped the GOP of power.
Stephen Miller vowed unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump after being named chief of staff, earning praise from supporters across the MAGA movement
Trump said Miller would take over as chief of staff on Monday, while Susie Wiles would move to the Trump Political Operation
“We need to stand with the man who has stood with us with every fiber of his being,” Miller said. “It is the honor of my lifetime to be President Trump’s chief of staff, and I promise you, Mr. President, my absolute loyalty, my unwavering commitment and total devotion to your success and the success of this country.”
He closed his remarks by thanking Trump and extending his hand to the commander in chief.
Several members of Trump’s Cabinet welcomed Miller’s promotion. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revived a provocative conservative slogan in a social media post celebrating the appointment.
“Next to me, Stephen Miller is the strongest MAHA supporter in the administration. It’s time to unleash the Kraken,” Kennedy wrote.
The phrase “unleash the Kraken” became widely associated with the far right in 2021, after streamer Anthime “Baked Alaska” Gionet used it while encouraging Trump supporters to enter the Capitol on January 6.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, who has faced intense criticism, also congratulated Miller and said the department would stand behind him.
“Huge CONGRATS to @StephenM — a true patriot and America First fighter. He never backs down — and the @DeptofWar is right there with him,” Hegseth wrote.
Vice President JD Vance described Miller as “an amazing patriot,” saying he would accomplish “great things” and calling the promotion deserved.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. celebrated Miller’s appointment and described him as one of the administration’s strongest MAHA supporters
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth congratulated Miller and pledged support from the Department of War
Democrats and liberal commentators reacted angrily to Miller’s appointment, viewing him as a driving force behind some of Trump’s toughest immigration policies.
“Trump making Stephen Miller Chief of Staff is a giant FU to the entire country that just voted against their barbarism, cruelty and hate,” left-wing commentator Krystal Ball wrote.
She added that the decision suggested Trump had no interest in moderating his approach or cooperating with Democrats.
California Governor Gavin Newsom labeled Miller a “vile thug” and said the appointment mocked voters who had backed Democrats in Tuesday’s election.
“Miller cooked up the sadistic mass deportation regime that ripped apart families and trampled basic civil rights. Innocent people are dead because of him. Voters rejected his cruelty and extremism. This is sick,” Newsom said.
Representative Robert Garcia, who has vowed to investigate every member of the Trump administration, directed a warning at Miller, saying he “should lawyer up.”
As he traveled to Mar-a-Lago, Trump defended Miller when asked about his reputation as the president’s “wartime consigliere.”
“He’s a great fighter. He’s been with me right from the beginning,” Trump said. “He’s very loyal. He has been an MVP every year.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned Miller’s appointment and called him a “vile thug”
Representative Robert Garcia warned Miller to “lawyer up” amid promised investigations into the Trump administration
Trump formally announced the staffing change earlier Friday.
“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.
He praised Wiles, saying she had done an “outstanding job,” and announced that she would move to the Trump Political Operation.
The announcement came only days after Democrats’ sweeping midterm victory delivered a major blow to Trump and the Republican Party.
The scale of the Democratic gains could keep Republicans from reclaiming a congressional majority for much of the next decade, intensifying calls from conservatives for Trump to overhaul his team.
Although the decision appeared sudden, the Daily Mail reported in June that Wiles had been quietly preparing to leave after the midterms. The White House denied that report at the time.
Asked about the shake-up Friday, Trump said he had decided it was time for a change.
“I wanted to make a change. I think Susie’s done a very good job, great job, but … we gotta make moves. Sometimes in life, you have to make moves,” he told reporters.
That explanation differed from the account given by a senior White House official, who told the Daily Mail that Wiles had submitted her resignation the previous night.
Trump praised Susie Wiles for her tenure as chief of staff, calling her performance “outstanding” and “great”
The conflicting descriptions of Wiles’ departure have fueled questions over whether the staffing change was initiated by Trump or by the outgoing chief of staff.
Trump said Miller had been at his side “from the beginning,” describing him as politically skilled and predicting that he would excel in the new position.
“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,” Miller said in a statement on X. “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,” he added.
Wiles shared her farewell message on X shortly after Trump announced the change.
“Today is my last day as White House Chief of Staff,” she wrote Friday. “Serving President Trump in the White House has been the honor of a lifetime.”
Wiles said she was proud of the administration’s work on border security, tax cuts, economic policy and the “America First” agenda, while expressing gratitude to the staff members she had worked alongside.
Her departure follows the Daily Mail’s June report that she intended to step down after the midterm elections.
Wiles denied that account at the time but left the White House only days after the election results were announced.
She was the longest-serving Republican White House chief of staff and had remained a key figure in Trump’s political circle since his 2016 campaign.