Susie Wiles, a seasoned political consultant and co-chair of President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign, was appointed as his new White House chief of staff on Thursday.
Trump praised Wiles in a statement, saying, “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 campaigns.”
“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and universally admired and respected,” he continued. “She 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 U.S. history. I have no doubt she will make our country proud.”
Wiles will make history as the first woman to hold the role of White House chief of staff when she takes office in January. Her contributions were recognized by Trump just hours before his 2024 election victory was officially projected.
“Susie likes to stay sort of in the back. Let me tell you, the ice baby. We call her the ice baby,” Trump said. “She’s not in the background,” he added, acknowledging her leadership despite her preference for staying out of the spotlight.
Although Wiles typically remains behind the scenes, she made headlines last week with her first post on X (formerly Twitter) in nearly two years. She defended Trump after billionaire Mark Cuban’s remarks, in which he claimed the former president doesn’t surround himself with “strong, intelligent women.”
“I’m told @mcuban needs help identifying the strong and intelligent women surrounding Pres. Trump. Well, here we are!” Wiles responded on X, alongside a mention of Linda McMahon, chair of Trump’s transition policy, and Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
Currently serving as Trump’s campaign co-chair alongside Chris LaCivita, Wiles had long been seen as a likely candidate for the White House chief of staff role. Politico had previously described her as Trump’s “most important adviser.”
Wiles brings decades of political experience, having worked for a variety of political figures, including former President Ronald Reagan, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Trump, both in 2016 and again in 2024. According to her LinkedIn profile, Wiles also worked as a deputy director during Reagan’s 1980 campaign and later served as a scheduler in his office. She has also worked as a consultant in Florida.
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