Palm Beach, Fla. — To streamline the new West Wing operation, incoming Chief of Staff Susie Wiles is limiting the number of individuals with direct access to President Donald Trump.
The transition team is cutting back on the number of “assistants to the president,” a designation that grants a staffer the privilege of walking into the Oval Office and bringing non-staff guests to meet with the president. Instead, the team will rely on deputy chiefs of staff to direct the flow of information to Trump, primarily through Stephen Miller, Taylor Budowich, and Dan Scavino – all longtime trusted aides.
The new arrangement mirrors the structure Wiles implemented during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, which consolidated decision-making authority among a small group of senior staff. While each individual’s relationship with Trump will ultimately determine their level of access, the new policy is expected to reduce internal drama and improve communication.
The change is a departure from Trump’s first administration, when a greater number of top staff members were given latitude to communicate directly with the president. The Trump transition team did not comment on the change, but sources suggest that the new policy is intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the White House operation.