Susie Wiles has stepped down as White House Chief of Staff, marking the latest departure of a woman from a senior position in President Donald Trump’s second term. According to Khaleej Times, Wiles announced her exit one day after Republicans suffered significant losses in the midterm elections. She was the first woman to hold the strategic role of chief of staff. Her departure leaves only three women in top roles within the administration: Brooke Rollins at Agriculture, Linda McMahon at Education, and Kelly Loeffler at the Small Business Administration.
At the start of his second term, Trump claimed his cabinet included more women than any previous Republican president. Khaleej Times reported that there were initially eight women in top roles out of more than twenty such positions. Eighteen months later, that number has dropped to three. The publication noted that half of the women were pushed out over a three-month period in the spring. Departures included Kristi Noem from Homeland Security, Pam Bondi from the Justice Department, Lori Chavez-DeRemer from Labor, and Tulsi Gabbard from national intelligence.
In each instance where a female leader left, a male colleague took over. Todd Blanche assumed Bondi’s duties at the Justice Department, while Wiles has been succeeded by Stephen Miller, a longtime Trump loyalist. Khaleej Times noted that Miller is described as a hard-right ideologue. Colorado State University professor Karrin Vasby Anderson told AFP that Trump often hires women for their appearance, removing them when they no longer serve that function. She argued that Trump defends male figures who promote a specific type of political masculinity, even when their policies face criticism.
Mike Waltz was the only male exception, removed as national security adviser in May 2025 after adding a journalist to a leadership discussion group. He was subsequently appointed as ambassador to the United Nations. Meanwhile, the administration is struggling to replace Karoline Leavitt, who left the press secretary role at the end of August. Trump jokingly suggested UFC chief Dana White for the position, but White said he did not want to be in politics. Asharq Al-Awsat reported on parallel climate negotiations in Antalya, but the focus on personnel changes remains centered on the US political landscape.