Trump Administration

As Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller Will Reinforce Trump's Worst Instincts

His elevation does not bode well for anyone who hoped that Trump would moderate the policies that alienated voters in the midterm elections.

Jacob Sullum | 11.6.2026 4:55 PM

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President Donald Trump today announced that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff. That change does not bode well for anyone who hoped that Trump, chastened by his party's disastrous performance in the midterm elections, would moderate the policies that alienated voters.

Miller, previously a deputy chief of staff, is the main architect of Trump's immigration crackdown, which has targeted many peaceful and productive U.S. residents, contrary to the promise that it would focus on "the worst of the worst." Although Trump has intermittently expressed qualms about the impact of immigration enforcement on businesses and their longtime employees, Miller has made it clear that he favors an indiscriminate approach.

A January 2026 profile of Miller in The Atlantic described an exchange that epitomizes his attitude toward immigration. "Stephen, if you had it........

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