New Delhi: US President-elect Donald Trump has named his campaign manager, Susie Wiles, as White House Chief Of Staff, making her the first woman in history to hold the position. Trump in an official statement described Susie as “tough, smart, innovative.”
“I have no doubt that she will make our country proud,” he said, India Today quoting Associated Press reported.
This appointment marks the start of what is anticipated to be a series of staffing announcements as Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20, 2025. The selection of Wiles is seen as a significant step for the president-elect, signalling an initial test of his government as he swiftly assembles the team that will lead the US government.
Who is Susie Wiles?
- The daughter of National Football League (NFL) player and sports broadcaster Pat Summerall, Susie Wiles began her political career in the Washington House of New York Republican Jack Kemp in the 1970s. She later joined Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign in the 1980s, marking the start of her involvement in national politics.
- After Reagan’s presidential campaign, she went to Florida, where she advised two Jacksonville mayors and worked for Republican Tillie Fowler.
- She went on to manage high-stakes campaigns in Florida’s fiercely competitive political landscape, where she is credited with helping businessman Rick Scott secure the governor’s office.
- She briefly managed Utah Governor Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign before leading Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign in Florida — a pivotal win that contributed to his path to the White House.
- In 2018, Wiles played a key role in Ron DeSantis’s successful attempt for Florida governor. However, a rift soon developed between them, leading DeSantis to pressure Trump’s 2020 campaign to sever ties with her, despite her role in overseeing Trump’s Florida efforts at the time.
- Wiles later went on to lead Trump’s primary campaign against DeSantis, delivering a decisive blow to the Florida governor’s ambitions.
Much of the campaign’s insider knowledge, some believed, had come from Wiles and others on Trump’s team who had previously worked with DeSantis and had less-than-pleasant experiences. According to Trump’s aides, Wiles is someone who is able to control the President-elect’s impulses, not by telling him what to do, but by showing him that he is better off when he listens to her advice. Earlier, during a speech in Pennsylvania, Trump diverted from his talking points and went on to suggest that he wouldn’t mind the media being shot. At that moment, Wiles came out to stare at him silently, AP reported.