Trump appoints Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he has promoted his longtime adviser Stephen Miller to be the new White House chief of staff, BBC News, France 24, and the Washington Examiner reported. Miller replaces outgoing chief of staff Susie Wiles in the top role, according to BBC News and the Washington Examiner. The appointment comes in the wake of Tuesday's midterm elections in which Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, BBC News and the Washington Examiner said. [1][3][5][7]

The New York Post reported that the 41-year-old Miller is the architect of Trump's hardline immigration policies. France 24 added that Miller has driven the administration's mass deportation programme and faced criticism after ICE agents shot and killed two Minneapolis protesters in January. On Friday, Miller stated that the mission is to fight with all of our soul to support the president, according to BBC News and the New York Post. [1][2][7]

Miller previously served as White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor. Raised in Santa Monica, California, he worked for Representative Michele Bachmann and Senator Jeff Sessions before joining the first Trump administration as senior advisor and director of speechwriting. [5][13][15]

The promotion signals that the administration is preparing for political battles and legislative gridlock with the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress, BBC News, the New York Post, and the Washington Examiner reported. The Washington Examiner added that the appointment indicates the president intends to aggressively test the limits of executive power. [1][2][3]