Who is Susie Wiles, Trump's new chief of staff?
A savvy, behind-the-scenes political strategist who made her name running successful campaigns in Florida
Donald Trump has announced that Susie Wiles, the manager of his successful campaign for the White House, will be his chief of staff, bringing the veteran Republican strategist and long-time Trump ally out from behind the scenes and into the hot seat.
"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," the U.S. president-elect said in a statement on Thursday.
"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."
'A pick that makes sense'
Wiles was one of the leads on what has been hailed as Trump's most sophisticated presidential campaign, which saw the former president defeat Democrat Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
A staple in the inner circle of a man known for high turnover among staff, Wiles has been seen as a steady hand, adept at calming and managing the famously erratic politician. She will be the first woman to occupy the role.
"It's a pick that makes sense," Republican strategist Matt Terrill told CBC's The National. "This is someone who is well respected.… She's got a reputation as being someone who gets the job done."
Trump, who is also projected to make history as the first convicted felon to win a U.S. presidential election, won't take office until the inauguration on Jan, 20, 2025. Wiles is his first major appointment so far.
Florida politics
Wiles, 67, has worked in politics for more than four decades, starting in the 1970s as an aide to New York Rep. Jack Kemp.
The daughter of the late Pat Summerall, a former NFL player and a member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Wiles made her mark advising and managing the political campaigns of Republicans at the state and federal level, including former U.S. president Ronald Reagan. She was part of his 1980 presidential campaign and was a scheduler in the White House during the first year in office before turning her attention to state politics in Florida.
There, she worked on the campaigns of now Sen. Rick Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Her connection to Trump goes back to his first presidential run in 2016, when she was senior advisor on his campaign and helped him win Florida — a state that was key to securing his path to the White House.
Two years later, Wiles helped get DeSantis elected as Florida's governor. But the two had a falling out that eventually led DeSantis to urge Trump's 2020 campaign team to cut its ties with the strategist, who was running Trump's campaign in the state.
Wiles ultimately went on to lead Trump's primary campaign against DeSantis and trounced the Florida governor.
"I've worked in Florida politics, and I can tell you, everyone I've talked to in Republican circles there, but Democratic circles alike, respected her and understood her as someone who's been a great operator," said Terrill, who was also former chief of staff for Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign.
'The ice maiden'
If this week is the first time you've heard of Wiles, you're not alone — although she's worked on numerous campaigns, she tends to remain in the background, rarely giving comments to press.
During Trump's victory speech early Wednesday morning, he noted Wiles likes to "stay sort of in the back," calling her "the ice maiden."
When she joined Trump on the podium, she balked when he gestured for her to take the mic herself, shaking her head and beckoning for another staffer to speak.
In her work on previous Trump campaigns, Wiles has attempted to reach out to communities with whom the Republicans historically haven't performed well.
Speaking on the ABC affiliate channel WPLG Local 10 in Miami in 2020, Wiles said the Florida campaign she was overseeing had deliberately courted more Hispanic and Black voters, seeking to "make it palatable" for them to vote Republican.
What does a chief of staff do?
Widely thought of as the second most important role in the West Wing after the president, the chief of staff is a cabinet position that does not need to be confirmed by the Senate.
The person who occupies the role controls access to the president and manages the staff of the executive office of the president. A chief of staff advises and travels with the president, previews speeches and briefings and generally controls who and what reaches the president. They are sometimes described as a combination of gatekeeper and confidant.
Trump's first term in office saw him rack up one of the highest turnover rates for high-level officials among recent U.S. presidents. His first administration saw four chief of staffs cycle through the White House.
A number of Trump's former team members have come out in the years since he lost his bid for a second consecutive term in 2020 to disavow the politician and criticize his dictatorial style leadership and the high value he places on loyalty above all else.
John Kelly, who served as chief of staff for a year and a half before being ousted despite Trump not having lined up his replacement yet, warned last month that Trump "certainly prefers the dictator approach to government."
With files from The Associated Press