Nearly every day since President Donald Trump entered office three weeks ago, he has convened a huddle in the West Wing with two of his senior-most aides to plot out the next steps dramatically reshaping the federal government. One is his chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The other is Stephen Miller, whose title – deputy chief of staff for policy – in many ways understates the massive influence he commands both with the president and across the government.
Miller is helping to drive a maximalist immigration enforcement agenda, one he has spent much of his career designing. He’s working closely with his ally, Elon Musk, on the billionaire’s Trump-blessed mission to shrink the size of the federal government and rid it of “deep state” bureaucrats. Miller is now one of the most powerful people in government, with a direct line to Trump and – perhaps more importantly – a canny ability to translate Trump’s policy ideas into action.
Miller's strategy in the Trump 2.0 era has been to gather more support for his sweeping policy plans by working Capitol Hill and Trump allies directly. While Miller maintained intense internal influence at the White House during Trump’s first term, he has expanded his relationships with those throughout Washington more significantly in the new administration. He now speaks regularly with lawmakers, informing them of policy priorities, and makes frequent trips to Capitol Hill to brief key players on his plans.
Miller's remit extends to practically all policies that are emerging from the White House. In the transition period following Trump’s victory last November, Miller worked to prepare the dozens of executive orders that Trump signed upon taking office, hoping for a swell of activity that would overwhelm the president’s opponents. He has cultivated a close alliance with Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency is inserting itself into myriad government agencies looking to identify waste. It’s a mission both men share.
Miller is active in providing Trump’s communications aides with talking points and often walks them through major points of new measures to emphasize the nuances of the policy. Within MAGA-world, Miller is a star, drawing booming applause and enthusiastic cheers during a Trump rally on the eve of the inauguration.
