Susie Wiles, considered one of the sharpest minds in Florida politics, is heading to Washington to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s gatekeeper and top adviser.
Her rise to become the country’s first female White House chief of staff doesn’t surprise powerbrokers who have watched her operate behind the scenes. For those who know her, she’s one of the GOATs — greatest of all time — in Florida’s political fray.
“She is the most brilliant political consultant in America,” said Ron Book, a longtime Florida lobbyist. “Those just recognizing it today have had their heads in the ground like ostriches over the last 15 years.”
The 67-year-old grandmother with four decades of political experience played a pivotal role in Trump’s triumph, co-managing his campaign. In his victory speech, Trump referred to the veteran Florida strategist as the “ice maiden.” State Sen. Joe Gruters, a former Florida GOP chairman and Trump ally, once called her “a political Muhammad Ali.”
Wiles ran Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns in Florida, helping to put the Sunshine State in his victory column both times. She also helped to score improbable statewide victories for two other Florida Republicans — U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis, though her relationship with DeSantis eventually soured.
Known for shunning the limelight, Wiles is the daughter of legendary NFL sportscaster, Pat Summerall, who famously paired with John Madden in the broadcast booth.
In a statement, Trump said Wiles is “tough, smart, innovative, and … universally admired and respected.”
“Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history,” he said.
With daily contact with the president, White House chief of staff is considered one of the most important jobs in Washington, managing access to the Oval Office and serving as the commander-in-chief’s confidant.
Raised in New Jersey, Wiles took an early job working for former U.S. Rep. Jack Kemp, whose football career overlapped her father’s playing days. During the 1980s, she worked as a scheduler for Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign.
She moved to Jacksonville and became a fixture in politics there during the 1990s and 2000s, advising mayors John Delaney and John Peyton.
In 2010, Wiles helped Scott — then a health care executive with little political experience — win a late, self-funded bid for the governor’s mansion. Considered an outsider candidate, Scott upset the GOP establishment by beating the heavy favorite, ֱ General Bill McCollum, in the Republican primary and then prevailed against Democrat Alex Sink.
Bill Rubin, an early Scott supporter and Tallahassee lobbyist, got to know Wiles during the 2010 campaign and credited her with helping propel Scott to victory. After two terms as governor, Scott went on to win a Senate seat in 2018.
“She is a very unflappable, steady hand,” Rubin said. “She really treated everybody the same. She had the respect and support of everybody, including the candidate. She deserves to be exactly where she is.”
Then she recorded another success story in 2018 with DeSantis. A little-known northeast Florida congressman, DeSantis defeated the GOP establishment candidate for governor, Adam Putnam, boosted by a Trump endorsement.
But the first-term governor, skeptical of Wiles’ allegiances, later dismissed her as an adviser and then tried to “blackball” her from Florida politics, according to a 2023 New York Times article. Political insiders have called his decision a massive tactical blunder. With Wiles’ help, Trump squashed DeSantis’ presidential ambitions earlier this year, forcing the 46-year-old governor out of the presidential race early in the primaries.
Her presence in the White House is good news for Floridians seeking jobs in the Trump administration, Rubin said. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has been mentioned as a contender for Secretary of State. Scott is seeking Trump’s endorsement in his bid to become Senate Majority Leader.
“Florida is going to have a very robust presence,” Rubin said. “Having Susie there will only enhance the number of opportunities for people who want to serve. … Proximity is everything for power.”
Looking ahead, her signal challenge may be to maintain that close positioning.
Trump went through four chiefs of staff during his first term, including one he fired by tweet. Ahead of Election Day, his longest serving chief of staff — John Kelly — said he thought Trump met the definition of a fascist and would rule like a dictator, The New York Times reported.
Mac Stipanovich, a longtime GOP Florida political operative who backed Vice President Kamala Harris, said Wiles is skilled in handling “difficult men.” Her father, who died in 2013, struggled with alcoholism and credited Wiles with helping him get treatment at the Betty Ford Clinic.
“She is obviously very capable,” Stipanovich said. “She has found, at least so far, the magic potion to survive Trump.”
