Trump hands Stephen Miller the chief of staff job and a bunker mindset

Donald Trump is handing the keys of the White House to Stephen Miller, the loyalist who built his immigration crackdown, and the message is clear: no retreat. Officials and Republicans who spoke to Reuters say the move signals two more years of confrontation, not compromise. Miller, 41, replaces Susie Wiles, the former lobbyist who steered Trump's 2024 campaign and played the dealmaking manager.

The timing says plenty. Voters handed Republicans a historic rebuke on Nov 3, and instead of softening, Trump has swung harder. On Nov 7 he told the Justice Department to look into Democrats he accused of sending threatening letters to Republican donors and Trump allies. He also floated the White House press secretary job to combat sports promoter Dana White.

Miller isn't a quiet operator. He jumped on Trump's first campaign in 2016 and has been in the building ever since, best known for the aggressive immigration push that fires up the base and repels everyone else. Only 37% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of immigration, per an October Reuters/Ipsos poll, down from 50% when he took office. Four immigration officials told Reuters nothing is easing up. Not going to work with lawmakers either, apparently.