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President-elect Donald Trump has named Susie Wiles, the manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff, the first woman to ever hold the influential role.

Wiles is widely credited by Trump aides and allies for running what they consider his most disciplined and well-executed campaign, and she was seen as the leading contender for the position. She largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the mic to speak as Trump celebrated his victory early Wednesday morning.

Despite Trumpโ€™s often erratic behavior during the 2024 campaign, some believe Wiles did a better job than others had previously in reining in Trumpโ€™s worst impulses โ€” not by chiding or lecturing him, but by earning his respect and showing him that he was better off when he followed her advice than when he flouted it.

โ€œSusie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again,โ€ Trump said in a statement. โ€œIt is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.โ€

Trump went through four chiefs of staff โ€” including one who served in an acting capacity for a year โ€” during his first administration, part of record-setting personnel churn.

Successful chiefs of staff serve as the presidentโ€™s confidant, help execute a presidentโ€™s agenda and balance competing political and policy priorities. They also tend to serve as a gatekeeper, helping determine whom the president spends their time with and whom they speak to โ€” an effort Trump chafed under inside the White House.

The chief of staff is โ€œabsolutely critical to an effective White House,โ€ said Chris Whipple, whose book โ€œThe Gatekeepersโ€ details how the White House chief of staff role has shaped and defined the presidency. โ€œAt the end of the day the most important thing is telling the president what he doesnโ€™t want to hear.โ€

Wiles is a longtime Florida-based Republican strategist who ran Trumpโ€™s campaign in the state in 2016 and 2020. Before that, she ran Rick Scottโ€™s 2010 campaign for Florida governor and briefly served as the manager of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsmanโ€™s 2012 presidential campaign.

Chris LaCivita, who along with Wiles served as a co-manager of the campaign, posted on X, โ€œSo Happy and proud of one of the fiercest and most loyal warriors iโ€™ve ever had the pleasure of working with !!!โ€

Miller, Price and Colvin write for the Associated Press.

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