Stephen Miller takes over as White House chief of staff as Democrats signal scrutiny

Trump told 60 Minutes his deportation policy might be too tough, while Rep. Robert Garcia of California says Miller's crackdown role warrants investigation.

Stephen Miller in Washington in 2025. Photo: U.S. Secretary of Defense, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

25 news outlets reported this

Liberal14 outletsTrump's admission clashes with elevating Miller Center5 outletsTrump concedes toughness while Miller's record draws scrutiny Conservative6 outletsMiller's loyalty pledge and White House staff shake-up

ABRAnews EditorialPublished Nov 9, 20261 min readMoney and daily life

Overview

Stephen Miller, the architect of President Trump's immigration crackdown, was due to start Monday as White House chief of staff. Trump tapped him on Friday, Nov. 6, to replace Susie Wiles. A White House official said Wiles resigned, and Trump said she would move to his political operation.

Deputy chief of staff Richard Walters is also leaving, Miller told news outlets over the weekend. Axios first reported the departure. Miller's wife, Katie Miller, said she has stopped recording new podcast episodes to focus on raising their four children.

Miller pledged his "absolute loyalty" to Trump at an event in Florida. The appointment comes after Republicans lost both and the in the . In a 60 Minutes interview aired Sunday, Trump said his policy "might be too tough" and that he thinks he could work something out with Democrats.

Rep. Robert Garcia of California, set to lead the House Oversight Committee, said Miller's role in the crackdown warrants investigation. Newsweek reports it is unclear whether enforcement policy will change.

Key figures

at least 3,000 immigration arrests a dayenforcement target Miller has pushed, per NewsweekNewsweek
roughly $170 billionimmigration enforcement and border security funding in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill ActNewsweek
14 percentvoters calling immigration the most important issue, in exit pollsNewsweek

Three sides of the story

14Liberal 5Center 6Conservative

25 news outlets reported this

Tap a color or swipe sideways to switch sides.

Liberal14 outlets

Trump's admission clashes with elevating Miller

The Guardian's live blog leads with Trump saying his deportation policy "might have been too tough" and that he is open to letting some undocumented immigrants stay. It describes the remarks as a rare, candid concession that a defining policy had hurt Republicans politically. It adds that the remarks were "seemingly at odds" with his choice of Miller, "the architect of his immigration crackdown," whom it calls his "most controversial aide."

It quotes Trump: "We would work something out." The blog also covers the Democrats' lame-duck agenda and a planned Trump meeting with Qatar's prime minister. A separate Guardian piece, "Stephen Miller, immigration hardliner, in his own words," lists six of his statements.

They include "We are being conquered," said on Fox News in 2023, and his remark, "a deep knife wound in the heart of the American republic." It notes that his description of Alex Pretti as "a domestic terrorist" is at odds with footage of the shooting.

Center5 outlets

Trump concedes toughness while Miller's record draws scrutiny

Newsweek leads with Trump acknowledging his crackdown may have been "too tough," days after promoting Miller. It quotes him on getting "an A+ for closing up the border" and saying the policy "hurt me." It adds exit-poll numbers: more than half of voters said enforcement had gone too far.

It says it remains unclear whether enforcement will change. The piece then reviews Miller's record, including his "floor, not a ceiling" arrest goal and the push for at least 3,000 arrests a day. It quotes Rep. Robert Garcia on investigating Miller, and former official Adam Klein, who calls the appointment "concerning."

It also quotes a spokesperson for United We Dream Action. NewsNation's headline says Miller takes the reins as backlash over immigration enforcement grows. It reports that Trump acknowledged that parts of his enforcement strategy may have gone too far.

Conservative6 outlets

Miller's loyalty pledge and White House staff shake-up

The Epoch Times leads with Miller's first public comments as chief of staff, vowing to fight for Trump and be absolutely loyal. It quotes his Nov. 6 post on X, "The mission now is more clear than ever," and his remarks to a Florida crowd that Trump "saved our border from annihilation." Trump, who shared the video, called Miller "a very hot commodity."

The piece reports that Wiles resigned, according to a White House official, and that Trump said she would move to his political operation. It quotes her statement on securing the border and cutting taxes. It reports Walters's departure, which Axios first reported, with Miller praising him and Walters saying he looks forward to helping "from the outside."

It closes with Katie Miller saying she is stepping away from her podcast to raise their four kids.

The Epoch Times: Stephen Miller Responds to Being Named Chief of Staff as Deputy Steps Down

What a side did not mention

Liberal outlets did not mentionDeputy chief of staff Richard Walters is leaving the White House Reported by The Epoch Times
Centrist outlets did not mentionDeputy chief of staff Richard Walters is leaving the White House Reported by The Epoch Times

Money and daily life

For immigrants and employers, Adam Klein, a former senior Homeland Security official, told Newsweek that benefits could become harder to obtain even if the law does not change. He pointed to narrower eligibility readings and more evidence requirements at agencies such as . Newsweek reports it is unclear whether enforcement policy will change.

All sources: 41 articles from 25 outlets

Stephen Miller takes over as White House chief of staff as Democrats signal scrutiny

Three sides of the story

Liberal14 outlets

Center5 outlets

Conservative6 outlets

Which side made the stronger case?

Liberal (28)

Center (7)

Conservative (6)

The evening briefing by email