Who Is Susie Wiles? First Woman To Become White House Chief Of Staff

Susie Summerall Wiles, a revered political strategist, is the first woman appointed as the White House chief of staff. The 67-year-old from Florida was US President Donald Trump's campaign manager and senior advisor during the election, helping him "achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history, and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns," the Republican leader said in a statement on social media.

Donald Trump's Historic Choice

Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, have been credited with Donald Trump's successful Presidential run. In November 2024, as he promoted her to Chief of Staff, he described her as "tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected." In a statement on X, he said, "It is a well-deserved honour to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history."

President Donald J. Trump Announces Susan Summerall Wiles as White House Chief of Staff pic.twitter.com/rzU3Zj6d0j

— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) November 7, 2024

Responding to Trump's decision, US Vice President-elect JD Vance said, "[Susie] will be a huge asset in the White House." He described her as a "really good person," and congratulated her on the remarkable campaign. Though Wiles has been integral in Trump's political journey, she reportedly "likes to stay in the background." She is fondly called 'Ice Baby'.

What To Know About Susie Wiles?

Susan Summerall Wiles was born in New Jersey, to renowned footballer Pat Summerall and Cheri Summerall. Wiles graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park. The now-Florida-based political strategist worked for Republican US representatives Jack Kemp and Tillie Fowler early in her career. In 2016, Wiles ran the Trump campaign's operations in Florida.

Wiles has been lauded for turning President-elect Trump's haywire campaign vision into a meticulous one. Besides Trump, she has worked on campaigns for numerous distinguished politicians like Ronald Reagan and Ron DeSantis. She also briefly as the manager of former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr's 2012 Presidential campaign.

In 2017, Wiles' daughter Caroline was hired by the White House as deputy assistant to the president and director of scheduling. She later left the White House following an FBI background check which revealed she was embroiled in driving under the influence cases in 2005 and 2006. In the 2024 Trump campaign, Caroline became the fourth-highest-paid staffer, making $222,000.