Trump's campaign manager is open to becoming his White House chief of staff, but he has conditions

CNN
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Donald Trump's campaign manager, Susie Wiles, is considered a leading candidate to become White House chief of staff in the new administration. She is willing to take the job, a source close to both people told CNN.

However, Wiles still has some reservations about the role and expressed certain conditions to Trump before accepting it, the source said. At the top of the list is more control over who can reach the president in the Oval Office.

“The clown car cannot drive into the White House at will,” the source said. “And he agrees with her.”

During Trump's first term, his chiefs of staff struggled to prevent a roving group of informal advisers, family, friends and other interlopers from getting into the White House to meet with him. Trump is often influenced on an issue by who he speaks to last, a fact well known in his circle and which has made life difficult for his top aides.

Wiles was widely praised for running Trump's most demanding and disciplined campaign, which sought to keep many of the fringe voices around him in check.

For most of the campaign, she was in charge of the flight manifest for Trump's private plane – a thankless job that led to her blocking the former president's access when he wouldn't say “no” to anyone. At times, she also had to confront Trump about keeping certain people at arm's length – but her inability to stop far-right provocateur Laura Loomer from joining the former president at a debate and a 9/11 memorial service sparked significant backlash from her boss out of .

Wiles is the daughter of the late NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall and a veteran Florida political activist. She is one of the longest-serving advisors in Trump's environment. After helping him win Florida in 2020, she served as his de facto chief of staff during his post-presidency and then ran his campaign throughout the race – a rare feat in Trump world.

On election night, Trump acknowledged Wiles in his victory speech but declined to address the crowd gathered at the Palm Beach Convention Center, instead handing the microphone to co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita.

Her willingness to stay in the background has endeared her to Trump and his allies, several of whom have already publicly endorsed her for the job.

“Susie Wiles ran Trump's best campaign of all three, and it wasn't particularly close,” Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk wrote on X. “She's disciplined, she's smart and she doesn't seek the spotlight.” She would be an incredible chief of staff. The President and America would do well with Susie in this key role.”