Donald Trump hires Susie Wiles as chief of staff

President-elect Donald Trump has revealed that he will appoint Susan Summerall Wiles, his campaign manager, as his Chief of Staff when he assumes office next year.

In a statement, Trump remarked that Wiles "played a key role in helping me secure one of the largest political triumphs in American history." He described Wiles as "strong, clever, creative, and someone who is widely respected and admired."

"It’s truly an honor to see Susie become the first woman to hold the position of chief of staff in the history of the United States," he stated. "I’m confident that she will bring pride to our nation."

The team that's helping Trump transition into his new role is focused on selecting key officials for the incoming Republican administration. This includes appointing leaders for all 15 executive departments, such as the secretaries of state and defense.

During his victory address this week, Trump called Wiles, who is 67 years old, "the ice maiden" while she stood next to him on stage.

She typically works behind the scenes, the president-elect remarked, yet she has a reputation as one of the most formidable political strategists in the country.

In his statement on Thursday, he mentioned that Susie will keep putting in relentless effort to restore America to its former glory, alluding to his frequently used campaign phrase.

An article by Politico earlier this year portrayed Susie Wiles as someone who is respected yet not well understood.

Just under a year after Wiles entered the political arena, she became part of Ronald Reagan's campaign for the 1980 election.

She became instrumental in changing the political landscape in Florida, her home state.

In 2010, she helped Rick Scott, who was a businessman with minimal political background at the time, become the governor of Florida in just seven months. Scott has since become a US senator.

Wiles encountered Trump during the Republican presidential primary in 2015 and took on the role of co-chair for his campaign in Florida. As a result of their efforts, Trump secured victory in the state against Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who appointed her to lead his successful campaign for governor two years later, referred to Wiles as “the top professional in the field.”

Wiles collaborated with Chris LaCivita on the Trump campaign. LaCivita is an experienced Republican strategist with many years in the field.

The duo collaborated with Trump to develop a successful strategy for the presidential primary.

In her profile on Politico, the 67-year-old grandmother, who is the daughter of the late football player and broadcaster Pat Summerall, mentioned that she has a "traditional" political upbringing.

"In the beginning of my career, etiquette was important, and there was a certain standard of behavior that was expected," she remarked, noting that the Republican party today is quite different from what it was several decades ago.

"I understand that the Republican Party today is not the same as it used to be," she mentioned, referring to the GOP, also known as the Grand Old Party.

"We need to adapt to certain changes to achieve our goals."

The chief of staff is seen as the president's primary assistant and holds a vital position in the administration of every president.

They act as the head of the White House, tasked with assembling the president's team. A chief guides the staff within the Executive Office of the President and manages all day-to-day activities and operations.

They provide guidance to presidents on policy matters and are in charge of leading and supervising the creation of policies.