Who is Susie Wiles, Donald Trump's pick for first woman White House chief of staff?
By Gargi Chaudhry | First Published Nov 8, 2024, 8:54 AM ISTSusie Wiles, a seasoned political operative with a history of successful campaigns, has been appointed as Donald Trump's White House chief of staff. From Reagan to DeSantis, Wiles's career has been marked by high-stakes political victories, including pivotal roles in Trump's 2016 and 2024 campaigns.
Susie Wiles, one of the two managers for Donald Trump’s campaign, was on Thursday appointed Trump’s White House chief of staff, entrusting a top position to a political operative who helped the Republican win the election. Trump made the statement as he gets ready to return to the White House on January 20. Trump said in a statement, "Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and universally admired and respected." “I have no doubt that she will make our country proud," he added.
Who is Susie Wiles?
Susie Wiles, the daughter of NFL player and sportscaster Pat Summerall, started her political career in the 1970s at New York Republican Jack Kemp's Washington home. Her engagement in national politics began in the 1980s when she joined Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign. She traveled to Florida during Reagan's presidential campaign, where she worked for Republican Tillie Fowler and provided advice to two Jacksonville mayors.
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She later oversaw high-stakes campaigns in Florida's very competitive political environment, where she is recognized for having assisted businessman Rick Scott in winning the governor's seat. After temporarily overseeing Utah Governor Jon Huntsman's 2012 presidential campaign, she led Donald Trump's 2016 campaign in Florida, which was a crucial victory that helped him win the presidency.
Wiles was instrumental in Ron DeSantis's successful run for governor of Florida in 2018. Even though she was in charge of Trump's Florida initiatives at the time, a gap quickly formed between them, and DeSantis pushed for Trump's 2020 campaign to cut all contact with her.
Later, Wiles led Trump's primary campaign against DeSantis, dealing a severe blow to the governor of Florida's aspirations. 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.
Trump, several times in the past, has commended Wiles for leading what he called his "best-run campaign."
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