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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.

Now that the 2024 presidential election has ended, it is time for the president-elect, Donald Trump, to shape his presidential cabinet. Some positions require Senate confirmation, though positions related to White House activity in relation to the president are entirely up to Trump. In the White House Chief of Staff position, Trump appointed Susan Summerall Wiles, making her the first woman ever selected for the opportunity. 

what does the White House Chief of Staff position entail?

The chief of staff’s primary responsibility is to organize presidential affairs. They are the eyes and ears of all the operations regarding the president and the work that gets completed, including the oversight of policy development and leading the staff of the Executive Office of the president. Basically, this job revolves around the behind-the-scenes work that the public rarely sees. Having a woman be nominated for such a high political position within the Executive Branch fuels the idea of equality in these spaces, which contributes to breaking the barriers of these male-dominated fields in government.

Not only does the chief of staff operate the president’s agenda, but they are more influential in policy formations than one might think. Being the “gatekeeper” means having access to the time allotted to specific policies or people and dictating and creating a political agenda. Based on this centralizing decision-making from a head position, the priorities of the agenda will be emphasized, causing other issues to be downplayed. This role fundamentally steers the ship in Washington, D.C.

who will fill this role during the upcoming presidential term?

Susie Wiles was originally a political lobbyist, consultant, and campaign strategist based in Florida, where she worked on multiple campaigns for Republican politicians in Florida. Wiles has not worked in D.C. in 40 years but has been active in the Florida government sector. She started her career by working for Rep. Jack Kemp in New York in the 1970s, as Ronald Reagan’s scheduler during his presidential term, and then for Rep. Tillie Fowler in Florida. In 2016, Wiles aided Trump’s efforts in Florida. In 2018, she helped Ron DeSantis get elected in Florida as governor. After a conflict developed between DeSantis and Wiles, she went back to the Trump administration, which led her to the position she has now. 

The job will not be easy even with the discipline set in place and the high standards. During Trump’s last presidency, he went through four different Chief of Staff positions, meaning this will not be an easy footing. According to Trump’s aides, there is hope that this team will be more cohesive.

Out of the many cabinet positions, it is at least encouraging to see female influence in this male-dominated field. Politics is a tough industry for many women to break into, as gender bias and misogyny can create obstacles to employment. Job equality is still evolving and developing, yet this is a sign of improvement and breaking past barriers in the workforce. Knowing that women can achieve high levels of leadership within the political space despite gender stereotypes and norms is inspiring.

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Hi! My name is Hanna Remtulla and I am from Winter Springs, Florida. Currently I am studying Political Science and Finance at Florida State University. My perfect day includes pilates, reading, playing pickleball, drinking kombucha, and watching the TV show New Girl. I am so grateful to be apart of the Her Campus community and am very excited to share my writing with you all!