US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named Susie Wiles, one of the top architects of his 2024 presidential campaign, as his White House chief of staff. She will be the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff.
The appointment was the first of what is expected to be a flurry of staffing announcements as Trump girds for a return to the White House on January 20.
“Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history. Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again," said Trump.
Key responsibility
As gatekeeper to the president, the chief of staff typically wields great influence. The person manages White House staff, organizes the president's time and schedule, and maintains contact with other government departments and lawmakers.
Who is Susie Wiles?
Wiles (67) is a veteran Florida political strategist. She is the daughter of Pat Summerall, a football player and sportscaster.
In the 1970s, Susan Wiles began her political career working in the Washington office of New York Congressman Jack Kemp. She then joined Ronald Reagan's campaign and went on to serve as a scheduler in his White House. Later, Wiles became a trusted advisor to two Jacksonville mayors and worked for Representative Tillie Fowler. Her growing influence in Florida’s high-stakes political arena later helped businessman Rick Scott secure the governor's office.
After briefly managing Utah Governor Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign, Wiles led Donald Trump’s 2016 Florida campaign, a critical victory that contributed significantly to Trump’s path to the White House.
Trump has been secluded at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, since defeating Democrat Kamala Harris in Tuesday's election.
He is considering a wide array of people for top jobs in his administration, many of them familiar figures from his 2017-2021 presidency, four sources said.
Wiles, a long-time Florida-based political strategist, and fellow campaign manager Chris LaCivita are credited with running a more disciplined operation for Trump’s third presidential bid compared with his past campaigns.
Trump thanked them both during his victory speech early on Wednesday.
"Susie likes to stay in the back, let me tell you," Trump said, as she stood toward the back of the stage. "We call her the ice maiden."
Several people who have worked with Wiles said in interviews on Thursday that she would provide stability and sage counsel to Trump in the White House.
Trump ran through four chiefs of staff - an unusually high number - during his 2017-2021 term as they struggled to rein in the famously undisciplined president.
“Susie is a strong woman and a true leader with a proven track record of getting things done," said Florida-based Republican consultant David Johnson.
Trump chose Wiles over former House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican who is close to Trump and has been a frequent visitor to Mar-a-Lago.
Sources said McCarthy had been in contention as well as Brooke Rollins, who was the former acting director of Trump's Domestic Policy Council.
A fierce Trump ally, New York Republican Representative Elise Stefanik, is under consideration to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, a source familiar with the matter said.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, who was an acting intelligence chief in Trump's first term and was with him when he recently met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in New York, is under consideration for secretary of state.
Republican Senator Bill Hagerty, a former U.S. ambassador to Japan, is also under consideration for that position, the sources said.
Hagerty, asked by CNN about being considered for a role in Trump's administration, said, "I'll leave the speculation to the speculators."
(With inputs from Reuters)
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
