President Trump on Friday responded to rumors that his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, is on the chopping block as leaks from around the White House suggest that he’s looking for a replacement.
Amid reports that Wiles was sidelined in Trump’s decision to hire Katie Zacharia as Press Secretary last week, according to anonymous sources who claimed he did not consult with her, Politico reported this week that Trump is turning sour on Wiles.
According to anonymous sources in Trump world, Trump has been asking allies for their thoughts on Wiles and potential replacements for the Chief of Staff role.
An unnamed senior elected Republican official told Politico that Trump had floated White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, President of the New York Yankees Randy Levine, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as possible successors.
“TOTAL FAKE NEWS Politico doesn’t care about facts, integrity, or honest journalism — it’s why I kicked them out of the White House!” Trump said in response to Politico on Thursday. “Susie Wiles is my loyal and longest serving Chief of Staff – there is a reason for that. She has been with me since the beginning, is my trusted advisor, and has my COMPLETE confidence. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
NEW in @Playbook: Trump is asking close allies about CoS Susie Wiles, and floating possible future successors, per sources
Knives are out for Wiles—with rivals privately putting recent headlines surrounding her daughter’s foreign lobbying in front of POTUS urging he make changes, per sources
One senior elected GOP official who received a call from Trump said the president had raised “the first honest questions about Susie”
Wiles has survived past efforts, and so far has yet to discuss how long she’ll remain chief of staff with the president, per source familiar
Trump in statement to Playbook forcefully stood by his longest serving CoS
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— Will Steakin (@wsteaks) October 15, 2026
Now, the Daily Mail reports that seven insiders confirmed “three warring factions” of “Wiles loyalists, Jared Kushner allies, and the MAGA old guard” are pushing for their own choice of a replacement. Wiles allies are reportedly promoting deputy national security adviser Mike Needham, Kushner allies want Steve Witkoff or Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and the “MAGA old guard” are all in for Stephen Miller.
Others suggest John McEntee, who served as Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office during Trump’s first term, is in the ring as a “wildcard.”
However, Trump dumped cold water on the rumors on Friday, telling reporters it’s a “false report that was written by Politico.” He continued, It’s fake news.”
“I could not be more happy with Susie. She’s done a great job from day one,” he added, noting that Wiles recently recovered from cancer and that she’s “fully recovered.”
“She’s been fantastic. It’s been one of the most successful administrations in the world, and she’s a part of it,” he added. “That story in Politico, I guess it was, is a total fake story. And we told them before they wrote it, so they put my disclaimer in there… But they put it in anyway because they’re fake news. That is a totally false story.”
Trump later doubled down, telling another reporter, “She’s been incredible. We’ve had maybe the most successful first two years, and it’s not even two years, in the history of the presidency. She’s been my chief of staff. She’s smart. She’s tough.”
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This is a developing story.
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