President Trump is elevating Stephen Miller, his domestic policy adviser and the driving force behind the administration's immigration crackdown, to replace Susie Wiles as his chief of staff. Wiles, the first woman to hold the top White House staff role, was instrumental in Trump's comeback win in 2024, and the president has blamed her for the Republicans' rout in this week's midterms.
Miller has proved the most powerful policy staff member in the modern history of the presidency and had been making known his interest in the top job. His pitch, according to people who heard it, was that the president needed to wind down the Iran war. Maggie Haberman, one of our White House correspondents, notes that Miller is deeply ideological and that the choice is a sign that Trump is doubling down on his agenda. Wiles, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer this year and recently announced she was cancer-free, is the highest-ranking administration official leaving in the wake of the election.
In related news, Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, posted a defiant video as many Democrats and at least one Republican talked of impeaching him. Elon Musk spent almost half a billion dollars on the midterms and has little to show for it. The U.S. attorney who had overseen a centerpiece of Trump's retribution campaign also resigned.
Employers added 165,000 jobs last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, and the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1 percent. Wage growth remained tepid, and recent college graduates have found limited opportunities. There are indications that A.I. advances are depressing hiring, particularly for entry-level positions. Microsoft recently offered buyouts to 60,000 people, more than a quarter of its work force.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing