0
0
President-elect Donald Trump has selected Susie Wiles as his next White House chief of staff.
Susie Wiles, the understated yet formidable force behind Donald Trump’s third presidential bid, has operated in a sphere of discretion, wielding influence without the spotlight. She was the architect of his remarkable political comeback and was nearly invisible during the whole campaign.
For Wiles, 67, the new title is as improbable and as it is historic. A strategist known more for quiet calculations than public-facing gestures, at first glance she appears a mismatch for Trump and his colossal orbit of fame seekers, celebrities, firebrands and megalomaniacs.
In public, she hides behind a pair of polarized aviators. When people talk to her, the person they often see back is themselves.
The daughter of late NFL sportscaster Pat Summerall, Wiles first entered politics as an assistant to US Rep. Jack Kemp, an ex-teammate of her father’s on the New York Giants.
She is competent, affable, respected and feared, a powerful combination in the former president’s world. Those close to her suggest that her success with Trump lies in a balanced approach: She refrains from trying to restrain him but knows when to push back.
Donald Trump, in turn, has given her a fitting moniker: “The Ice Maiden.”
Charlie Kirk wrote on X “Susie Wiles ran Trump’s best campaign of the three, and it wasn’t particularly close. She’s disciplined, she’s smart, and she doesn’t seek the limelight. She would make an incredible Chief of Staff. The president, and America, would be well served with Susie in that key role.”
Throughout the race, Wiles was a constant presence by Trump’s side, traveling with him on nearly every campaign stop. Still, she remained out of the limelight – until the last week of the race. After businessman Mark Cuban told “The View” that Trump avoids “strong, intelligent women,” Republicans pushed back by holding up Wiles.
The touting continued and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio posted on social media: “President Donald Trump has chosen a strong, intelligent woman to serve as White House Chief of Staff.”
Before agreeing to take on the role, though, Wiles sought assurances from Trump that she would have more authority than her predecessors in controlling access to the Oval Office, according to a source close to both individuals.
“Susie Wiles is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected,” Donald Trump said in a statement. “Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again.”
#DonaldTrump #Election2024 #USElection #PresidentElect #Whitehouse #SusieWiles #borderczar #susie #wiles #suzi #chiefofstaff #director #America #Republican #EliseStefanik #TomHoman #MattGaetz #MichaelWaltz #KristiNoem #JohnRatcliffe #ElonMusk #VivekRamaswamy #RFKJr #RobertFKennedyJr #HouseSpeaker #DepartmentofGovernmentEfficiency #MikeJohnson #president #MarkCuban
