Susie Wiles is about to be the most powerful woman in Washington. But many people in this town are just learning who she is.
A veteran of Florida politics, Wiles rose from Donald Trump’s 2016 Florida campaign director to senior adviser to his 2024 bid. She’s credited with running a disciplined, professionalized campaign operation that helped Trump secure a sweeping Electoral College victory and probably a popular vote win as well.
Wiles’ selection is unsurprising . She’s earned the respect and ear of the former president, and has demonstrated an ability to help control Trump’s impulses — to the extent that’s possible — in a way few others have. In a statement, Trump said Wiles is “tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected.”
But she’s still a Washington outsider with little experience in government — which could be a challenge as she takes on one of the most demanding and complex governing staff jobs anywhere. Wiles, 67, rarely speaks publicly — at Trump’s victory speech early Wednesday, she almost seemed to recoil at the candidate’s invitation to say a few words — believing that an understated, behind-the-scenes presence can be effective.