Stephen Miller Set to Become White House Chief of Staff as Trump Says Deportation Policy 'Might Have Been Too Tough'

Stephen Miller is due to start as White House chief of staff on 9 November 2026, the senior aide who runs the president's staff and day-to-day operations. The White House announced his appointment on 6 November, describing him as the 33rd person to hold the post. He succeeds Susie Wiles, whom President Donald Trump praised for doing "an outstanding job."

Miller has been described as the architect of Trump's immigration crackdown. In a social media post, Trump called him "one of my most trusted advisors." Attorney General Todd Blanche, the government's top law officer, said in a White House release dated 8 November that Miller "will be a phenomenal Chief of Staff."

The announcement came as Trump gave an interview to CBS News' 60 Minutes, which aired on Sunday night. Asked about his deportation policy, which involves removing people who are in the country illegally, he said the policy "might have been too tough." He added, "I think it was too tough," according to CBS News.

Trump also said the policy was part of the reason Republicans lost control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections, which were held in November. He said he thought an arrangement allowing some people living in the US without legal status to remain was doable with the new Democratic majority.

Trump is also due to meet Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, at the White House on 9 November.