WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday announced his appointment of Stephen Miller as his chief of staff, to replace Susie Wiles, following his party’s historic drubbing in Tuesday’s midterm elections.

Miller, the current deputy chief of staff, has helped design Trump’s immigration policies and spearhead his mass deportation campaign — policies that played a key role in the GOP’s losses on Tuesday. The replacement of Wiles, seen as a moderating voice in Trump’s circle, with Miller, one of his more extreme advisers, raised questions about how Trump plans to approach governing the Democratic-held Congress.

His appointment as chief of staff, a powerful position for driving the president’s policy agenda, managing his staff and twisting the arms of allies and opponents alike to bend to the executive’s will, appeared to end speculation that Trump might ease back from his less popular policies or moderate following devastating losses for his party in the midterms.

Democrats had hoped the beating received by Republicans on Tuesday would be sufficient to finally sour the president on Miller, and potentially sideline him. They suggested Friday that Miller should be under investigation, something House Democrats could decide to do when they take the majority in January.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., wrote on X that Miller “is the chief architect of Trump’s racist, cruel, and un-American campaign of terror across our country. Innocent people have died and families have been torn apart because of the policies he’s eagerly pushed,” and that he “should be under investigation, not running the White House.”

Trump on Friday called Miller one of his “most trusted advisors,” and said he would take over as chief of staff Monday. Trump said Wiles “has done an outstanding job,” and will be moving to his political operation.

Wiles, who played a key role in Trump’s 2024 campaign, is the first person in a senior White House role to resign following Republicans’ massive defeat in Tuesday’s midterm elections.

Wiles was the first woman to serve as chief of staff to a U.S. president. In a post to X, Wiles said Friday was her last day as chief of staff.

“I’m so proud to have been a part of what we’ve accomplished together from securing our border and cutting taxes to strengthening our economy and putting America First,” she said. “While my role may be changing, my commitment to the President and the mission never will.”

Miller was brought up in liberal Santa Monica, where his years in high school were difficult and filled with pushback from peers for his “vitriolic” and conservative viewpoints, according to Jean Guerrero, a former Times columnist and author of the 2020 Miller biography “Hatemonger.”

“And for whatever reason, he’s had this grievance about that ever since, and he’s been trying through various means, to have what I see as a form of revenge on the communities that rejected him in Los Angeles,” Guerrero has said.

Miller then railed against multiculturalism, political correctness and his Latino classmates. In video obtained by Univision, a young Miller says, “I will say and I will do things that no one else in their right mind would say or do,” and tells a crowd, “Am I the only one who is sick and tired of being told to pick up our trash when we have plenty of janitors who are paid to do it for us?”

Criticism of Miller’s selection poured in from Democrats.

“Stephen Miller is the most dangerous person in Trump’s administration and should be fired instead of promoted,” wrote Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J. “Americans overwhelmingly voted to end the chaos and lower costs. Stephen Miller has done nothing but sow hatred and foster corruption.”

David Axelrod, a prominent Democratic commentator and former advisor to President Obama, wrote, “Few did more to contribute to the debacle the @gop just endured than Stephen Miller. The backlash to his brutal ICE raids and nativist rants can be seen in returns all over the country. And for that, he’s ... PROMOTED?!?!”

Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that Miller “is an amazing patriot and will do great things,” calling his elevation a “well deserved promotion!” He also thanked Wiles “for her friendship and service to the president and our country.”

Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s former press secretary, called Miller “the perfect choice” on X, saying he would “make the final two years of the President’s term a resounding success.”

“Now is the time to fix what’s not working and double down on all of the victories we’ve already achieved. What we cannot do is fall into despair and hand the country over to the Radical Democrats,” Leavitt wrote.

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