With Stephen Miller at the helm, Trump charts a course for conflict
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida/WASHINGTON –
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Trump → chart → conflict
US President Donald Trump’s decision to elevate loyalist Stephen Miller to run his White House indicates that he plans to ramp up confrontation in his final two years in office and block outside political and economic pressures, Trump administration officials and other Republicans say.
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officials → elevate → pressures
Voters delivered a historic rebuke to Republicans in the Nov 3 midterm election, but with Miller as White House chief of staff, the Trump administration is expected to continue its aggressive immigration crackdown, amplify cultural conflicts and give no ground to a Democratic-controlled Congress
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administration → deliver → Congress
, say officials and experts.
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officials → say → ?
They say wavering Republicans will face increased pressure to stay in line, while businesses may have a harder time making their case to the White House.
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businesses → say → House
“This signals the administration is going to have a fighting-from-a-bunker approach the last two years,” said Dan Eberhart, a Trump donor and energy executive.
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Eberhart → signal → approach
Although Trump has said he can work with Democrats, he has shown a feisty approach since the midterm election results became clear.
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results → say → approach
On Nov 7, he ordered the Justice Department to “look into” Democrats whom he accused of sending "threatening letters" to Republican donors and other Trump allies.
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he → order → donors
He also offered the job of White House press secretary to combat sports promoter Dana White.
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He → offer → White
‘This man saved America’
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man → save → America
Miller, 41, marks a sharp contrast with outgoing chief of staff Susie Wiles, a former lobbyist who ran Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
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who → mark → campaign
Wiles lacked significant Washington experience but was seen as a deft manager of competing interests.
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Wiles → lack → interests
Miller, by contrast, is regarded by allies and foes alike as a combative ideologue with a deep knowledge of the levers of power and an unswerving loyalty to Trump.
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Miller → regard → Trump
“If it wasn’t for President Trump, the United States of America would not exist right now.
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States → exist → America
This man saved America,” Miller said at an event at Trump’s Florida estate on Nov 6.
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Miller → save → Nov
Miller joined Trump’s first presidential campaign in 2016 and served throughout his two terms in the White House.
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Miller → join → House
He is best known for driving Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, which has galvanised supporters but alienated many voters.
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which → know → voters
Only 37% approve of Trump’s handling of immigration, according to an October Reuters/Ipsos poll, down from 50% when he took office.
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he → approve → office
Still, four US immigration officials told Reuters that there have been no signs that the administration will let up.
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administration → tell → Reuters
“Nothing is changing, same quotas,” said one official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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who → change → anonymity
Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, an occasional Trump critic who is retiring, said that Miller “was in denial” as he and other Republican lawmakers tried to warn him before the election that Trump’s immigration and tariff policies were driving away voters.
“We said, ‘You’re going to give us a bad midterm election’ and he rejected it,” Bacon said.
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Bacon → retire → it
The White House said Miller will continue to deliver “historic successes” in his new role, but Bacon said most of his peers in the House view it as “doubling down on a failed strategy”.
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most → say → strategy
“It’s going over like a lead balloon in most of Congress,” Bacon said of Miller’s appointment.
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Bacon → go → appointment
Miller also has overseen Trump’s executive orders, giving him an expansive understanding of the administrative tools available to the president.
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Miller → oversee → president
Several people said they expect the White House to rely on executive orders more extensively rather than working with lawmakers.
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House → say → lawmakers
Republican legislators will face pressure to stick with Trump through Democratic-led investigations to come, even if they damage the party as a whole.
“Those on Capitol Hill looking to break away from the Trump administration will know that Stephen Miller is not going to sit idly by and watch that happen,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean.
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Bonjean → face → administration
As well as the domestic issues he has focused on for most of his career
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he → focus → career
, Miller now will have a greater say in foreign affairs.
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Miller → have → affairs
Miller opposes prolonging the war with Iran, according to three sources familiar with his thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity, but he strongly supports Israel – potentially putting him at odds with Trump, who has threatened to resume strikes on Iran and announced he will end aid to Jerusalem.
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he → oppose → Jerusalem
Miller’s elevation also has unnerved some corporate lobbyists, who worry he will not be as responsive to their issues as Wiles, who cultivated relationships with top executives.
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who → unnerve → executives
“This will be a big change,” said a senior lobbyist at a Trump-aligned firm.
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lobbyist → say → firm
“Miller is there to focus on political priorities, like immigration and tariffs, stuff Trump cares about, and won’t have the same approach as Susie, who understood policies have unintended consequences.”
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policies → focus → consequences
Miller’s appointment was met with praise from senior Cabinet officials and political supporters, who described him as the fighter they will need in Trump’s final stretch.
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they → meet → stretch
“I think Trump has found his wartime consigliere,” Trump ally Roger Stone said.
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Stone → think → consigliere
The Aporia
