Trump names his campaign manager as his chief of staff

President-elect Donald Trump has named Susie Wiles, the de facto manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff, the first woman to hold that influential position.

Wiles is widely credited inside and outside Trump’s inner circle for running what was by far his most disciplined and best-executed campaign, and was seen as the front-runner for the job.

He largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the microphone to speak as Trump celebrated his victory Wednesday morning. She resisted the formal title of campaign manager, avoiding becoming a target, given Trump’s history of rotating people in that role.

Hiring Wiles is Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a litmus test for his incoming administration as he must quickly build the team that will help run the massive federal government.

Wiles doesn’t bring much federal government experience to the job, but he has a close relationship with the president-elect.

During the campaign, Wiles was able to do what few others have been able to: help control Trump’s impulses, earning his respect and showing him that he would do better if he followed his advice than if he ignored it.

“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to make America great again,” Trump said in a statement. “It is a well-deserved honor to have Susie as the first female chief of staff in American history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.”

Successful chiefs of staff serve as confidants to the president, help execute the president’s agenda, and balance competing political and policy priorities. They also tend to serve as gatekeepers, helping to determine who the president spends time with and who he talks to, an effort that irked Trump inside the White House.

Wiles is a Florida-based Republican strategist who managed Trump’s campaigns in the state in 2016 and 2020, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ successful bid for office in 2018. Before that, she managed Rick’s campaign Scott for governor of Florida in 2010 and briefly served as manager of former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign.

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