Donald Trump Hires Susie Wiles As Chief of Staff
Donald Trump was elected as the 47th President of the United States in the recently held election, breaking a 132-year record.
After this victory, he announced that his campaign manager, Susan Summerall Wiles, would serve as the White House chief of staff when he takes over the presidency next year.
British media BBC reported this information on Thursday (November 7).
In a statement, Trump said that Wiles "Just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history" and "is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected".
"It is a well-deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female chief of staff in United States history," he continued. "I do not doubt that she will make our country proud."
Wiles, 67, is the first woman who appointed White House chief of staff.
The Trump transition team is currently working to choose top members of the incoming Republican administration, including the heads of all 15 executive departments, such as the secretaries of state and defense, from 20 January.
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In his victory speech this week, Trump referred to Wiles as "the ice maiden" as she stood behind him on stage.
The president-elect said she operates mostly "in the back," but she is known as one of the most feared political operatives in the US.
"Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again," he added in his statement on Thursday, referring to his oft-repeated campaign slogan.
Who is Susie Wiles?
A profile by Politico earlier this year described Susie Wiles as feared but little known.
Less than a year after Wiles started working in politics, she joined Ronald Reagan's campaign ahead of his 1980 election.
She went on to play a key role in transforming politics in Florida, where she lives.
In 2010, she turned Rick Scott, a then-businessman with little political experience, into Florida's governor in just seven months. Scott is now a US senator.
Wiles met Trump during the 2015 Republican presidential primary and became the co-chair of his Florida campaign. He went on to win the state over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, who put her in charge of his successful gubernatorial race two years later, described Wiles as "the best in the business."
Wiles worked on the Trump campaign alongside Chris LaCivita, a veteran of Republican politics with decades of experience.
The two worked with Trump to formulate a winning presidential primary strategy.
In her Politico profile, the 67-year-old grandmother - who is the daughter of late football player and broadcaster Pat Summerall - said that she comes from a "traditional" political background.
"In my early career things like manners mattered and there was an expected level of decorum," she said, describing the Republican party as significantly different than the one of several decades ago.
"And so I get it that the GOP of today is different," she said, referring to the Republican party, which is also called the Grand Old Party (GOP).
"There are changes we must live with to get done the things we're trying to do."
The chief of staff is considered to be the president's top aide and plays a crucial role in every president's administration.
They essentially serve as the manager of the White House and are responsible for putting together a president's staff. A chief leads the staff through the Executive Office of the President and oversees all daily operations and staff activities.
They also advise presidents on policy issues and are responsible for directing and overseeing policy development.
It is to be noted that, Susan Summerall Wiles (born May 14, 1957), also known as Susie Wiles is an American political consultant who served as co-chair of Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. She was chosen by President-elect Trump to serve as the 32nd White House chief of staff in the second Trump administration set to begin in January 2025. She will be the first woman to hold the position.
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