By Reagan Reese
President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that his 2024 campaign manager, Susie Wiles will be his Chief of Staff in his administration.
Wiles, who led Trump’s return to the White House alongside Chis LaCivita, has largely been praised for her disciplined and professional operation in the 2024 run. Heading up Trump’s second administration, Wiles will be the first woman to be appointed White House Chief of Staff.
“Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history, and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns,” Trump said in a Thursday statement. “Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.”
President Donald J. Trump Announces Susan Summerall Wiles as White House Chief of Staff pic.twitter.com/rzU3Zj6d0j
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) November 7, 2024
America First Policy Institute’s Brooke Rollins and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy were rumored to have been in the running for the Chief of Staff role, but McCarthy publicly said Thursday he was not interested in the job.
“Susie is the only one who can do it,” one Trump adviser told Politico WestWing. “Susie is the one that everyone respects.”
Chris LaCivita (3rd L) and Susie Wiles (4th L), senior advisors to Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign, are recognized for their work during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 06, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Wiles is the first job pick Trump has announced since soundly defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the race for the White House on Wednesday morning. The president-elect credited his campaign manager for his success at his victory speech and even tried to get Wiles to take the stage.
“We call her the ice baby,” Trump laughed. “Susie likes to stay in the background. She’s not in the background.”
