Stephen Miller on Monday began his role as President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff — an appointment that has already drawn strong condemnation from top Democrats.
Trump announced Friday that he was replacing Susie Wiles, his long-serving top aide, with Miller, whom he called “one of my most trusted advisors.”
Miller, 41, is one of the few high-ranking officials in the current administration to have also served in Trump’s first term. His most recent roles were White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser.
He has planned and directed some of the most controversial parts of the current administration’s policies, including immigration policies. He has had a major influence on other foreign and domestic issues, from Trump’s bid to widen U.S. sway over Greenland to his effort to remove liberal culture from college campuses.
Senior Democrats responded swiftly to the announcement of his appointment.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York) said on social media that Trump “couldn’t have made a worse choice” and blamed Miller for “the most barbaric, inhumane policies of this administration.”
“Stephen Miller is a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (New York) wrote on social media, calling for him to be fired immediately.
There was also rare rebuke from within the Republican Party, with Rep. Marlin Stutzman (Indiana) telling CNN on Sunday that Miller’s promotion was a “mistake.”
“If your team takes a beating as badly as we took this last week, you have to fire people,” Stutzman said. “You don’t promote those who are, who were in charge of what was supposed to be delivered.”
Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff in the Department of Homeland Security who worked in Trump’s first administration before opposing him, said on X that Miller’s appointment “is among the most dangerous personnel decisions in the history of our republic.”
Miller said Friday that he was “honored beyond words” to become Trump’s chief of staff. “The mission now is more clear than ever: Fight with all of our soul to support our President and defend this magnificent Republic,” he wrote.
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