Donald Trump’s new White House begins to take shape
President-elect Donald Trump is starting to fill key posts in his second administration, putting an emphasis so far on aides and allies who were his strongest backers during the 2024 campaign.
Here’s a look at who he’s selected so far.
Susie Wiles, chief of staff
Ms. Wiles was a senior adviser to Mr. Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager.
Ms. Wiles has a background in Florida politics. She helped Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Mr. Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.
Ms. Wiles’ hire was Mr. Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with the president-elect. Ms. Wiles is said to have earned Mr. Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Mr. Trump’s three presidential campaigns.
Ms. Wiles was able to help keep Mr. Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice.
Tom Homan, ‘border czar’
Mr. Homan has been tasked with Mr. Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.
Mr. Homan, who served under Mr. Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Mr. Trump made central to his campaign.
Though Mr. Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Mr. Trump’s policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to “run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.”
Democrats have criticized Mr. Homan for his defending Mr. Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border.
Elise Stefanik, United Nations ambassador
Ms. Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Mr. Trump’s staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment.
Elected to the House in 2014, Ms. Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Mr. Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Ms. Stefanik has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership.
Ms. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile.
If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Mr. Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah.
Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff for policy
Mr. Miller, an immigration hardliner, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Mr. Trump’s priority of mass deportations. Mr. Miller was a senior adviser during Mr. Trump’s first administration.
Mr. Miller has been a central figure in some of Mr. Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families.
Mr. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security, and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Mr. Trump left office in 2021, Mr. Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities, and others over issues such as free speech and national security.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
