Explainer | Who is Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles and how important is the role?
First woman to be gatekeeper to the president was also part of Donald Trump’s first successful White House bid in 2016
Since the 1970s, Wiles, 67, has worked on the campaigns of Republicans representing a range of ideologies.
What is the role?
The chief of staff position is usually the first appointee that a president-elect names, and may oversee the transition from the previous administration.
As gatekeeper to the president, the person in this role usually wields more influence than most others in the executive branch. The chief of staff manages White House staff, organises the president’s time and schedule, and maintains contact with other government departments and lawmakers.
Trump went through four chiefs of staff – including one who served in an acting capacity for a year – during his first administration, a White House record.
John Kelly, a former Marine general, was Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff. He made headlines shortly before the November 5 election for a New York Times interview, in which he said that Trump met the definition of a fascist, and would govern like a dictator if allowed.
