Miller was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in policy decisions, focusing on illegal immigration and border security.
President Donald Trump said on May 4 that he planned to appoint someone to be the new national security adviser within six months, and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller could be selected for the role.
This comes in the wake of Mike Waltz’s exit from the position after Trump said on May 1 that he was nominating Waltz to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as interim national security adviser.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said a lot of people are interested in the national security adviser role, with Miller considered to be the top contender.
“Stephen Miller is at the top of the totem pole. I think he sort of indirectly already has that job,” Trump said. “Because he has a lot to say about a lot of things. He’s a very valued person in the administration, Stephen Miller.”
Miller was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, focusing on illegal immigration and border security. He currently serves as Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser.
When asked about Waltz’s departure from the role, Trump said Waltz did not resign but was simply moved to another role, which he described as a “higher position.”
“I didn’t lose confidence in him,” Trump said. “He’s going to the United Nations. … To me, I think it’s personally, if I had a choice for myself, I’d rather have that job than the other.”