At 67, Susie Wiles already has extensive experience in political life. In 1980, she worked for the campaign of Republican Ronald Reagan, which ended in victory. She notably cut her teeth alongside moderate Republican candidates, such as Jack Kem or Tillie Fowler. In 2012, she briefly managed the presidential campaign of Jon Huntsman Jr., a former Utah governor and moderate Republican. He will also be very critical of Donald Trump after the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
His career would then take a turn by advising stronger Republican figures, such as Senator Rick Scott or Ron DeSantis during his campaign to become governor of Florida. Fired just after DeSantis’ victory, she will take her revenge as she assists Donald Trump in his new campaign by discrediting him. Known for her firmness, her intransigence, her composure and her discretion, the new President gave her the nickname “ice woman” (‘ice maiden‘).
She is known for her management in “complex political environments,” says Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, to CNN. “Susie is an extremely talented woman in a male-dominated industry. His ability to navigate difficult political environments to achieve campaign goals and secure Republican victory is unmatched“, says McDaniel. “For better or worse, I have enormous capacity, I like variety and I thrive under pressure. Most of all, I appreciate the opportunity to make a difference. In a career that has taken me from the White House to the Capitol to corporate boards and city halls, I have learned how government works and how things get done,” writes -she on her LinkedIn account.
This discretion could be observed during Donald Trump’s victory speech, who invited her to join him on stage. Embarrassed, the advisor barely said a few words and quickly returned to the back. “Susie likes to stay in the background. Let me tell you, Ice Baby – that’s what we call her, Ice Baby – is not in the background. She’s shy, I’ve never seen her shy before“, launched Donald Trump. But during the campaign, Susie Wiles did not hesitate to respond when attacked. Thus, after Marc Cuban, pro-Harris billionaire, made fun of the women surrounding the Republican candidate , she replied in a tweet: “It seems he needs help identifying the strong and intelligent women around President Trump. Well, here we are!”
As Donald Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles’ biggest challenge will be staying in office. Indeed, during his first term, the Republican appointed four different leaders. Among them John Kelly, who strongly criticized Donald Trump during his campaign by making certain revelations about his former boss.
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