Donald Trump announced on Friday that Susie Wiles, the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff, will leave her post. He named immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as her replacement in a Truth Social message posted days after Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. The president told reporters, "I wanted to make a change," adding that Wiles had done a very good job while emphasizing the need to make moves. Wiles reportedly handed in her resignation on Thursday night and described her tenure as "the honor of a lifetime." She expressed pride in accomplishments including securing the border, cutting taxes, and strengthening the economy. This departure leaves behind an overwhelmingly male leadership team at the top of the administration.
A Pattern of Departures
Wiles’s exit follows a string of high-profile resignations and dismissals of women in the Trump administration. White House press secretary Katie Zacharia was ousted just five days after taking up the role, while former homeland security secretary Kristi Noem and former attorney general Pam Bondi were also dismissed. Former national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard reportedly resigned under pressure, and Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former US ambassador to Greece, has also departed her post. Harmeet Dhillon, a staunch Trump ally and head of the justice department’s civil rights division, resigned just one day before Trump’s announcement of Wiles’s ouster. Her departure marks yet another high-profile woman leaving the administration amid expectations that Democrats will use their majority to investigate federal agencies. Other justice department officials have also since resigned, including John Eisenberg, the assistant attorney general for national security, and Jason Reding Quinones, a key attorney who led inquiries into Trump’s rivals. Only a handful of women remain in Trump’s cabinet, including agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins and Kelly Loeffler, head of the Small Business Administration. Natalie Harp, a 35-year-old political aide, remains a frequent presence by the president’s side at public events.
