Deputy White House Chief of Staff Richard Walters is departing the Trump administration, incoming Chief of Staff Stephen Miller announced. The move comes as Miller prepares to succeed Susie Wiles, who is transitioning to the Trump political operation.
Miller praised Walters as an "invaluable" member of the team who will continue to assist the administration from outside the White House, according to Fox News Politics.
CBS News reported the departure on X, noting that Walters is a longtime ally of Susie Wiles. "Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Walters, a longtime ally of Susie Wiles, will be departing the administration, incoming Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said," the post read.
Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Walters, a longtime ally of Susie Wiles, will be departing the administration, incoming Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said. https://t.co/Axo114kunX
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 28, 2026
Walters' exit marks the first major staffing change after Republicans suffered a midterm defeat that will see Democrats take control of both chambers of Congress in January. President Trump announced on Truth Social that Miller, currently deputy chief of staff and one of his closest advisers, would become chief of staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026.
"I am pleased to announce that Mr. Stephen Miller, the current Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, and one of my most trusted advisors, will become the Chief of Staff starting Monday, November 9, 2026," Trump wrote. "Susie Wiles, who has done an outstanding job, will be moving over to the Trump Political Operation. I want to thank her for her service as Chief of Staff — She has done a great job!"
The reshuffle comes at a politically difficult moment. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces articles of impeachment when lawmakers return next week, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio is facing renewed speculation about a possible 2028 presidential campaign. Vice President JD Vance has begun publicly distinguishing himself from the president over the war, per Newsweek.
Walters, who had ties to Wiles stretching back more than a decade, was one of her closest political lieutenants. His departure is seen as part of a broader transition as Miller assumes leadership of the White House staff.
It is not yet known who will fill Walters' role or what specific duties he will take on outside the administration.
Our Take
The departure of Richard Walters is not just a routine staffing change. It is the first concrete sign that the White House is recalibrating after the midterm shellacking. Stephen Miller is a fighter, a man who has been at the center of President Trump's most consequential policies—especially on immigration and border security. His promotion to chief of staff puts an immigration hardliner in charge of the White House staff as the America First agenda heads into a Democratic-controlled Congress.
But the timing is telling. With Democrats set to take Congress and the media already sharpening their knives, the administration needs a team that can weather the storm. Walters, a seasoned operative with deep ties to Wiles, will be a loss in the short term. Yet Miller's praise for his continued service from the outside suggests a smooth transition—and a recognition that the fight continues beyond the White House walls.
Patriots, don't be fooled by the establishment's gleeful headlines about chaos and disarray. This is what a winning team does: it adjusts, it retools, and it keeps its eye on the prize. The deep state and their media allies may think they smell blood, but with Miller at the helm, the Trump administration is just getting started.
