Who is Stephen Miller? The ‘wartime consigliere’ now running Trump’s White House
The architect of Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown is now his chief of staff. But is Stephen Miller an aggressive ideologue primed for battle, or a soft-spoken tactician who can reach across the aisle?
Still, the decision was momentous. Miller is known as a hardline ideologue (many call him an extremist) whose inclination is not to compromise with the Democrats (or anyone else) but to fight, particularly on immigration. His ascension signalled Trump was gearing up for battle.
One source described Miller to US news outlet Semafor as a “wartime consigliere”, a depiction that became the next day’s headline on page one of News Corp tabloid The New York Post.
Journalist and filmmaker Chris Whipple writes in Vanity Fair that Democratic strategist James Carville texted him shortly after Trump promoted Miller: “This is like Caligula’s appointment of his horse as consul.”
Hockey says Miller matches Trump’s own instincts much more than Wiles, a more establishment Republican operative with deep ties in Washington. “President Trump is determined to take a more aggressive stand,” he says. “Trump is at first instinct a fighter. He’s a pugilist. He will always feel the need to defend his corner.”
