Washington, Nov 8
President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday announced that his campaign manager Susie Wiles will be his 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 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 honour 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," he added.
As the gatekeeper to the President, the Chief of Staff typically wields great influence. The person manages White House staff, organises the President's time and schedule, and maintains contact with other government departments and lawmakers.
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.
Wiles will be the first woman to serve as White House Chief of Staff.
CNN reported earlier on Thursday that Wiles was considered the front-runner for the job but had some reservations about the role and had expressed to Trump certain conditions before she accepted, a source said.
Wiles was widely credited for running what was seen as Trump's most sophisticated and disciplined campaign, which included keeping many of the fringe voices in his orbit at bay.
Brooke Rollins, who was also under consideration for Chief of Staff and had some big names aligning with her, stood down from vying for the role on Wednesday after it became clear that seeking it would amount to a serious power struggle with Wiles and that the role was Wiles' for the taking, according to a person familiar.
Rollins, who served in Trump's first term, now runs the America First Policy Institute and is still expected to have a role in the second Trump administration.
The daughter of the late NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall and a seasoned political operative from Florida, Wiles is one of the longest-serving advisers in Trump's orbit. After helping him win Florida in 2020, she served as his de-facto Chief of Staff during his post-presidency and then led his campaign for the entirety of the race -- a rare feat in the Trump world.
On election night, Trump credited Wiles during his victory speech, though she declined to address the crowd gathered at the Palm Beach Convention Centre, instead turning the microphone over to co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita.
Her willingness to stay in the background has endeared her to Trump and to his allies, several of whom have already endorsed her publicly for the job.
