Wiles will be a no-nonsense administrator who will likely bring order to the Trump White House. Pictured: Wiles and President-Elect Donald Trump. Photo Credit: Susie Wiles/X.
America will soon know Susie Wiles very well. President-Elect Donald Trump has appointed her to become the first woman Chief of Staff. Wiles, a former Governor Ron DeSantis aide, has been in Trump’s orbit for most of the last decade. She ran the Trump’s successful Florida campaigns in 2016 and 2020 before coming over in 2023 to co-chair his 2024 national effort. She has been described as tough, fair, and tireless. At 67 years old, the daughter of the late NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall has a long history in Republican politics, back to the original MAGA campaign in 1980 when Ronald Reagan defied the media and blasted Jimmy Carter by ten points in the popular vote.
Beyond the irrepressibly warped analysis in many mainstream press releases, Wiles will be a no-nonsense administrator who will likely bring order to the Trump White House, reduce the chaos, and help keep Trump on track. She has no agenda to help Trump become a dictator, shelve the Constitution, or ignore the law. Quite the contrary, her long service reveals one who loves the country, honours its history and has always worked towards a better America for all its citizens.
In announcing Wiles’ appointment, Trump said, “Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well-deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.”
On Mark Halperin’s 2Way Substack podcast, Halperin noted two things about Wiles. She came up the ranks as an organizer and her mission would be to harness Trump’s energy and help him achieve his followers’ demanding ambitions to change how government works. The host then turned to his two guests, former Trump press spokesperson, Sean Spicer, and Democratic media consultant Dan Turrentine, who served as Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ Chief of Staff. Spicer described Wiles as no-nonsense, no drama, organized, focused, and driven. He said she knows how to treat people well and get the best from them. In effect, Spicer believes that Wiles will operate opposed to much of what Trump-world was like in the former president’s first term. She can read a room, manage personalities, and keep order. As Spicer noted, both the establishment wing of the GOP (Jeb Bush) and the MAGA wing (Charlie Kirk) like her and cheered her appointment. Her responsiveness, ability to listen, and respect for different points of view should help Trump manage the presidency much better from day one.
Turrentine, the Democratic consultant who worked with Wiles briefly, said she has earned the respect of all the candidates she has managed and cultivates a loyal staff. He commented that her opponents call her professional and admire her work ethic. Halperin added that her relationships with people show she is not a day trader. She believes in long-term connections and does not use people and dispose of them. As with Turrentine, he affirmed how well she was liked and how fiercely loyal her staff was to her. All three concurred she was the best choice and the only choice.
HOW WILL SHE APPROACH THE JOB?
Spicer indicated that the Chief of Staff job could be handled in three ways. First, Wiles could be the public face of the administration, appearing on Sunday shows, in the briefing room, carrying a big hammer, and overseeing crises. Second, she could have a national security focus – managing foreign affairs, whether to bomb Iran as an example. Will Wiles weigh in or stay out of those matters? Finally, Wiles could spearhead Congressional relations – will she become a chief lobbyist like Rahm Emmanuel in the Obama administration? Not likely.
James Baker, the legendary Chief of Staff for Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, fulfilled all three areas. Wiles will decide on the best model to follow and how she can serve Trump effectively and efficiently.
WHAT DOES HER APPOINTMENT INDICATE?
As Spicer suggested, Wiles’ ascendancy indicates that the days of the clown car in Trump world are over. She will keep the ball moving forward. She knows Trump: she has managed him for two years and she has learned when to let him fight and when to talk him down.
Her appointment also indicates that this team has hit the ground running. Several fast decisions will be made. A lot of personnel work has been done and is underway. Wiles knows that background checks are needed and wants them out of the way quickly.
SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM?
Turrentine believes Wiles will serve for a long time, as does Neil Vigidor, writing in the discredited New York Times (The paper of record provided a relentless level of biased reporting that proved wrong, inaccurate, and sometimes malicious about the former president during the recent campaign). Vigidor wrote, “Ms. Wiles has shown an unusual durability for a Trump confidante, lasting the entire election cycle as a campaign manager along with Chris LaCivita.” Trump had four Chiefs of Staff in his first term and is best known for his role as the boss on “The Apprentice” where he famously told applicants “You’re fired.” The trust Wiles has earned among Trump’s family members and the once and future president may cause her to outlast expectations.
Other qualities to observe about Wiles? She avoids the limelight, preferring others to speak on behalf of the candidate or the administration. She has a thick political resume winning campaigns in Florida for decades and helping turn it deep red after several cycles as a battleground state. She had a big hand in raising Governor Ron DeSantis to national prominence before DeSantis and his wife Casey had a falling out with her. And as mentioned earlier, she has NFL connections. Besides her dad, she was an aide to former Congressman and vice-presidential candidate Jack Kemp. If anything signals that Trump has learned a lot from his first term, the appointment of Susie Wiles rings the bell.
Dave Redekop is a retired elementary resource teacher who worked part-time at the St. Catharines Courthouse as a Registrar until being appointed Executive Director at Redeemer Bible Church in October 2023. He has worked on political campaigns since high school and attended university in South Carolina for five years, earning a Master’s in American History with a specialization in Civil Rights. Dave loves reading biographies.
