Stephen Miller pledges 'total devotion' to Trump after being named White House chief of staff
The incoming White House chief of staff used his first public remarks to vow absolute loyalty to Donald Trump, days after Republicans suffered sweeping losses in the US midterm elections.
By Amit Ricci ·
Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump's hardline immigration crackdown and one of his most controversial advisers, has heaped praise on the president in his first public comments since being named White House chief of staff, a role he begins on Monday.
Speaking alongside Trump at an event on Friday evening, Miller pledged "total devotion" to the president at a moment when critics fear the administration is preparing to double down on its far-right, nativist immigration agenda. "If it wasn't for President Trump the United States of America would not exist right now," Miller declared. "This man saved America. He saved our military from collapse. He saved our economy from destruction. He saved our border from annihilation. He saved our country from threats at home and abroad which would have been the end of the American dream for ever."
The appointment was unveiled in the wake of a punishing midterm election for Trump's Republican party, as a Democratic wave swept through parts of the country where Democrats had not won in decades. As of Saturday morning, Republicans had lost seven seats in the Senate, with Democrats holding narrow leads in the two races yet to be called, in Alaska and Mississippi. The party also lost 42 seats in the House of Representatives and five governor races.
Senior Republicans, including JD Vance, have blamed the losses on the Iran war and tariffs, both key pillars of Trump's agenda. Miller offered a sharply different assessment on Friday, saying the president had "saved the Republican party from the ash heap of history and has made it stronger, more popular and more resilient than ever before".
"It is the honor of my life to be President Trump's chief of staff, and I swear to you, and I pledge to you, Mr President, my absolute loyalty, my unwavering commitment, and my total devotion to your success and the success of this country," Miller added.
The speech is likely to add to concerns that the administration intends to press ahead with its hardline immigration agenda, which Miller had been leading in his previous role as deputy chief of staff.
His promotion was met with dismay from Democrats and some Republicans. Marlin Stutzman, the Republican congressman from Indiana, described the move as a "horrible decision" in comments to Politico. Don Bacon, the outgoing Republican congressman from Nebraska, predicted Miller would "have an antagonistic relationship with many", telling CNN: "He cost us seats in Texas and Arizona by alienating many Hispanic voters who voted for Trump in 2024."
The announcement came as Trump signaled he expects further changes to his team. "I love my cabinet. I think they're good," he told 60 Minutes in an interview due to air on Sunday, adding he would "be doing maybe a few changes" without naming anyone. Asked whether he has confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has faced questions about his future as the scale of the midterm losses became clear, Trump said "I do", but notably stopped short of crediting him for what the president described as military successes.
Only last month, after reports that Miller might replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, Trump was unequivocal, telling reporters there was "zero chance" that would happen.
