WASHINGTON – Susie Wiles, the trailblazing White House chief of staff under US President Donald Trump, has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer but plans to continue her duties full-time during treatment, Trump announced Monday.
The 68-year-old, the first woman to hold the influential role, has earned praise for steering Trump’s second term with quiet efficiency, preventing the internal turmoil that plagued his initial presidency. Trump shared the update on his Truth Social platform, calling Wiles “an incredible Chief of Staff, a great person, and one of the strongest people I know.”
“She has decided to take on this challenge immediately, as opposed to waiting,” Trump wrote, noting her “fantastic medical team” and “excellent” prognosis. He expressed relief that Wiles would remain “virtually full time at the White House” amid his administration’s pressing issues, including the ongoing Iran conflict and sagging approval ratings for Republicans ahead of November’s midterm elections.
A longtime Trump ally who joined his team during the 2016 Florida campaign, Wiles has been nicknamed “The Ice Maiden” and “the most powerful woman in the world” by the president. Despite her low public profile, she acts as a formidable gatekeeper in private, focused on maintaining discipline in the West Wing.