Susie Wiles, the woman widely credited with keeping the Trump White House from descending into the same chaos that defined the first term, has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
President Trump shared the news Monday on Truth Social. “Susie Wiles is an incredible Chief of Staff, a great person, and one of the strongest people I know,” he wrote, adding that her prognosis is excellent and that she has decided to take on the challenge “IMMEDIATELY, as opposed to waiting.” He also made sure to note that she would be spending “virtually full time at the White House, which makes me, as President, very happy.”
Wiles, 68, said in her own statement that she learned of the diagnosis last week and told Trump shortly after.
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“Nearly one in eight women in the United States will face this diagnosis,” she said. “Every day, these women continue to raise their families, go to work, and serve their communities with strength and determination. I now join their ranks.”
She added that she is planning to begin a weeks-long course of treatment soon, though she did not specify the type, and said she is encouraged by a strong prognosis given how early the cancer was caught.
Hours after the announcement, Wiles appeared at a White House luncheon for Trump Kennedy Center board members wearing a pink blazer, the color long associated with breast cancer awareness, with a chair and place card quietly added for her just before the event began. Trump led with updates on the Iran war. Wiles sat beside him without a word. That has always been the job.
White House deputy chief of staff James Blair said she “will win this battle with grace,” while press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called her “one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.” House Speaker Mike Johnson said his family “joins with everyone else in praying for our dear friend Susie.” Washington, briefly, agreed on something.
Wiles has been a central figure in Trump’s political operation for years, managing his 2024 campaign and moving into the West Wing when he returned to office. She takes part in nearly every major decision Trump has made as president and assembled a White House staff that is deeply loyal to both the president and to her. She rarely gives interviews and almost never speaks on camera, which in this administration is either a sign of discipline or self-preservation, possibly both.
It is worth noting that a few months ago, a Vanity Fair profile raised questions about her influence and standing inside the White House. Wiles called the articles a “hit piece,” and Trump said he stood by her while a number of top administration officials leapt to her defense.
Featured image via YouTube screengrab
