The Cast of Characters

Susan Estrich on Nov 14, 2026

The Democrats have made clear that they don't want to work with him. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the speaker-to-be, called Mr. Miller's promotion to White House chief of staff an "irresponsible" and "awful choice," and said he would not work with the new appointee. Acknowledging that he had communicated with Miller's predecessor, Susie Wiles, Jeffries said that won't continue.

"It's not going to happen with this new chief of staff to the extent that (Miller) lasts, because he clearly represents, along with Pete Hegseth and a few others, a really toxic brand of political engagement of politics and of governance," Jeffries said. "And the American people just voted for that kind of MAGA extremism to be eradicated."

Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic senator-elect from Michigan, told ABC News that Miller's promotion represents the Trump administration's "incoherent messaging."

"I don't know what Stephen Miller has actually contributed to our culture, our society in any real way, except to make us more angry, to stoke the worst kind of fear and vitriol, to weaponize ICE in our streets, to take American lives," he said.

There's nothing incoherent to me about the messaging. It's perfectly clear. The American people have spoken, but that doesn't mean you have to listen. The majority has voted MAGA out, but the majority is not who this president is paying attention to. He is doubling down when the voters are telling him to back off. The choice of Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff, so he can wage ideological war, which is what he has been doing since high school, sends a very clear message. "MAGA extremism" will not be eradicated; it will continue to spread like a cancer infecting the executive branch; it will continue to demand the courage and activism of the courts to stop it, and the difference is that now we will also have Congress to investigate it.

It's going to be a long two years. Miller will put pressure on cabinet secretaries to deliver on the ideological agenda -- the Congress and the courts be damned -- and even as they become more difficult to replace (confirming anyone controversial will be a chore), their jobs will be more difficult to fulfill.

President Donald Trump has already said that he wants the Department of Justice to investigate the Democrats who are threatening to investigate his administration and its allies. Notably absent from the threats on either side is any claim of just what crimes have been committed, but that's not stopping anyone.

Investigate -- and investigate the investigators? Put in place an agenda at the executive level that people voted against?

The selection of Jim Jordan, the combative ideologue, to lead Republicans in the new Congress only cements the wartime footing.

As for the Democrats, give credit where it is due. Chuck Schumer and his team did a great job recruiting candidates and raising and distributing money. It should earn him some credit. It does not make him the right leader for the future. He is in danger of pulling what has come to be known, sadly, as a Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- that is, staying too long. Now is the time for him to step aside victorious. He won't do it. But he should.

"VETO" -- that was what Trump's hat said. Impasse is what it might have said. Can Democrats go beyond investigating and promote an affirmative agenda that Trump vetoes at his peril? Or will Stephen Miller distract us with ideological warfare of the type that the majority voted against? Of one thing I am sure: He will try. Donald Trump's choice of Stephen Miller makes clear that he did not get the message.

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