Letter to the Editor: Power broker

I am pleased that The Inquirer printed the following letter.

To the editor:

Don’t expect Susie Wiles, Donald Trump’s incoming chief of staff and the first woman to be given this responsibility, to have an easily visible seat on the inaugural platform Monday — if she is there at all. Extremely capable in her leadership skills, and with a longstanding history in politics, Wiles on most days spends from 2 to 7 p.m. with the incoming president, offering extensive guidance in his presidential appointment selections as his means toward the end they both believe necessary: disruption of the status quo. 

Wiles states Trump has no responsibility whatsoever for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and that there was fraud in several states that caused his 2020 electoral defeat. Other than their mutual political beliefs and comfort with denial, there are strong reasons for the relationship between Trump and Wiles. After she rescued Ron DeSantis’s Florida campaign for governor, he and Wiles had an ugly falling-out. This unanticipated upheaval, which followed a 2017 divorce, likely brought an intense blow to one already familiar with trauma: Wiles’ father, the sports broadcaster Pat Summerall, was an alcoholic, causing inordinate pain to his family. 

Following Trump’s presidential defeat, and determined to return to power, Wiles has never left his side. She is a strong, devoted, even-tempered presence in Trump’s life. Hers is the first and last voice he hears during his workday. Despite his history of staff turnover, Wiles has stated publicly that she intends to hold her position throughout Trump’s presidency, where her control over access to the Oval Office will be enormous. Will she succeed in her determination to navigate their mutual success? Forget about Elon Musk, put your questions about Trump’s confusing marriage to Melania on the back burner. Of all of Trump’s complex relationships, the one with calm, cool, collected, and directed Susie Wiles is the one to watch.

Published in The Philadelphia Inquirer January 17, 2024