# We have a new shadow president – and he can play Trump like a fiddle | Arwa Mahdawi

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/we-have-a-new-shadow-president-and-he-can-play-trump-like-a-fiddle-arwa-mahdawi/
- Published: 2026-11-10T11:00:50+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T11:21:55+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/nov/10/stephen-miller-shadow-president-trump
- Topics: Elections, Government, Politics

## Key points

- Trump names Stephen Miller chief of staff after the midterm defeat.
- Miller has long shaped the administration’s hardline immigration policy.
- His promotion signals no move towards political reconciliation.

## Summary

Donald Trump has appointed Stephen Miller as his chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles, after Republicans suffered a major midterm defeat. The move suggests Trump is not seeking to soften his hardline approach or reconcile with opponents, despite briefly acknowledging that his deportation policy may have been too tough.

Miller, 41, has long wielded substantial influence in Trump’s circle and is described as a committed ideologue who wants to reshape the US and its role in the world. He helped design the first Trump administration’s family separation policy, which removed thousands of children from their immigrant parents, and has backed expansive claims of US power, including over Greenland. The article argues his promotion may give Democrats an opening by making the administration’s direction clearer to voters.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.