Who is Susie Wiles? Meet Donald Trump’s historic choice to become the first female head of the White House

 Who is Susie Wiles? Meet Donald Trump’s historic choice to become the first female head of the White House the appointment of Susie Wiles marks the beginning of a series of staffing announcements as Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House on January 20. 

US President-elect Donald Trump has named his campaign manager Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, his first major decision since winning the election this week. Susie Wiles will be the first woman in US history to hold the role of White House Chief of Staff.

US President-elect Donald Trump with Susie Wiles in West Palm Beach, Florida. (AP)

Susie is tough, smart, innovative and universally admired and respected,” Donald Trump said in a statement.

Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well-deserved honor to have Susie as the first ever Chief of Staff in the history of the United States,” he said.

Susie Wiles has kept a low profile on the campaign trail, refusing to even speak on stage during Donald Trump’s victory celebration Wednesday morning. She avoided assuming the official title of campaign manager, avoiding potential scrutiny given Trump’s history of frequently changing campaign management.

Although Wiles does not have extensive experience in the federal government, she maintains close ties to the president-elect.

A veteran Florida Republican strategist, Wiles managed Trump’s 2016 and 2020 state campaigns and managed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ victorious 2018 campaign. She previously managed Rick Scott’s 2010 Florida gubernatorial campaign and briefly managed former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s presidential bid in 2012.

The daughter of legendary NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall, Wiles entered politics in 1980 while working on Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign.Effective chiefs of staff act as the president’s confidants, helping implement the president’s agenda and managing competing political and policy interests. They also play a gatekeeper role, controlling who the president meets and talks to — an approach Trump resisted during his previous tenure in the White House.

The chief of staff is “absolutely critical to an effective White House,” said Chris Whipple. “In the end, the most important thing is to tell the president what he doesn’t want to hear.”