Wiles is not the only high-profile Trump official to leave this week following the midterm elections, which have prompted a reckoning among Republicans about how to address voters’ rebuke of Trump’s agenda.
Several justice department officials have also resigned, including John Eisenberg, the head of the department’s National Security Division, and Jason Reding Quiñones, who was known for enforcing conspiracy probes into officials investigating Trump’s handling of classified documents.
Democrats took to social media to criticise Trump’s new pick, accusing him of doubling down despite voters’ anger with his party’s agenda.
Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia, who would lead the House Oversight Committee after Democrats take control of the chamber, said he would continue to investigate Miller and his “misconduct”.
“Stephen Miller is the architect of the unconstitutional ICE raids that have terrorized our communities and kidnapped and killed American citizens and immigrant families,” he said, referencing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Miller was “a dangerous xenophobe and reckless extremist who has American blood on his hands”.
“His presence in government should be eradicated like a malignant tumor,” he said.
Trump’s communications director Steven Cheung called Miller “someone who has been with the President since the very beginning”.
“There is no bigger advocate for the Trump agenda than Stephen, and he will help the Administration deliver on monumental victories for the rest of this historic second term,” he said.
