Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Susie Wiles

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Susie Wiles made an impact.

Susan L. Wiles, also known as Susie Wiles, is an American political consultant and lobbyist. She is currently serving as the 32nd White House chief of staff since January 2025. Wiles is a prominent figure in American politics.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1962: Pat Summerall Becomes Sportscaster

In 1962, Pat Summerall transitioned from being a professional football player to a television sportscaster.

May 1978: Began Working for Jack Kemp

In May 1978, Summerall began working for New York representative Jack Kemp as a receptionist and later an aide, facilitated by her father's connection to Kemp.

1980: Worked for Ronald Reagan's Presidential Campaign

In 1980, Summerall worked for Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign in his scheduling office.

May 1981: Worked in the White House Office of Scheduling and Advance

By May 1981, Summerall had worked in the White House Office of Scheduling and Advance.

June 1982: Helped Prepare for Reagan's Trip to Europe

In June 1982, Susie helped Reagan prepare for a ten-day trip to Europe.

1984: Married Lanny Wiles

By 1984, she married Lanny Wiles, whom she had met while working for Reagan's campaign, and she also left her position as a personal secretary for Raymond J. Donovan, the secretary of labor.

1985: Moved to Ponte Vedra Beach

In 1985, the Wileses moved to Ponte Vedra Beach. Wiles worked for the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and led Jacksonville mayor Jake Godbold's public relations team.

1988: Living in Arcadia and Involved with the Florida Chamber of Commerce

By 1988, Wiles had been living in Arcadia, where she was a member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce of DeSoto County and received an honor for co-leading the organization's women's forums. She also returned to work as the head of campaign scheduling and advance work for Dan Quayle that year.

1992: District Director for Tillie Fowler's Campaign

In 1992, Wiles served as the district director for Tillie Fowler's campaign to represent Florida's fourth congressional district.

1995: Director of Communications for John Delaney

In 1995, Wiles began working as Jacksonville mayor John Delaney's director of communications and intergovernmental affairs.

April 1996: Deputy Chief of Staff for John Delaney

In April 1996, Wiles became John Delaney's deputy chief of staff.

November 1997: First Female Chief of Staff for Jacksonville

In November 1997, Wiles became the city's first female chief of staff.

1997: Chief of Staff for Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney

In 1997, Wiles became the chief of staff for Jacksonville mayor John Delaney, serving in this role until 2000.

November 2000: Resigned as Chief of Staff

In November 2000, Wiles resigned as chief of staff to enter the private sector, citing family reasons and the "high-pressure job".

2000: End of Tenure as Chief of Staff

In 2000, Wiles's tenure as the chief of staff for Jacksonville mayor John Delaney concluded.

February 2001: Vice President at APCO Worldwide

In February 2001, Wiles became a vice president at APCO Worldwide, a public affairs firm.

March 2003: Spokeswoman for Mike Weinstein

By March 2003, Wiles had become a spokeswoman for Mike Weinstein and later for John Peyton.

June 2008: Stepped Down to Spend Time with Family

In June 2008, Wiles stepped down to spend time with her family and travel.

February 2009: Worked for Republic Services

By February 2009, Wiles had worked for Republic Services; concurrently, Peyton sought a US$750 million proposal for Waste Management to continue operating Jacksonville's landfill. She resigned from her position in response to a request from Peyton.

April 2010: Joined Rick Scott's Campaign

In April 2010, Rick Scott announced his gubernatorial run, and Wiles joined his campaign a week later as his campaign manager.

2010: Campaign Manager for Rick Scott

In 2010, Wiles worked as Rick Scott's campaign manager for the Florida gubernatorial election.

January 2011: Led a Political Action Committee

After Scott's inauguration in January 2011, Wiles led a political action committee in advance of Jon Huntsman Jr.'s possible presidential campaign.

July 2011: Ran Ballard Partners's Jacksonville Office

By July 2011, Boselli and Wiles ran Ballard Partners's Jacksonville office.

2012: Campaign Manager for Jon Huntsman Jr.

In 2012, Huntsman named Wiles as the national campaign manager for his 2012 campaign, but she left after less than a month due to a dispute with John Weaver.

September 2013: Interim Director of the Jacksonville Civic Council

From February to September 2013, Wiles served as the interim director of the Jacksonville Civic Council.

October 2015: Florida Campaign Chairwoman for Donald Trump

In October 2015, Wiles was hired as a Florida campaign chairwoman for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

May 2016: Delegate for Florida at Republican National Convention

In May 2016, Wiles was named as a delegate for Florida at the 2016 Republican National Convention.

September 2016: Campaign Manager for Donald Trump in Florida

In September 2016, Wiles became Donald Trump's campaign manager for Florida.

January 2017: Joined Ballard Partners in Washington, D.C.

Following Trump's first inauguration in January 2017, Wiles joined Ballard in his firm's Washington, D.C. office. She also divorced from Lanny that year.

September 2018: Hired to Lead Ron DeSantis's Campaign

In September 2018, Wiles was hired to lead Ron DeSantis's campaign for the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election.

September 2018: Chair of Ron DeSantis's Gubernatorial Campaign

In September 2018, former representative Ron DeSantis appointed Wiles as the chair of his gubernatorial campaign in the 2018 election.

June 2020: Considering Rehiring Wiles

By June 2020, Trump was considering rehiring Wiles.

2020: Severed Ties with Trump's Campaign

In 2020, Trump's campaign severed ties with Wiles at Ron's behest, though some Trump advisors were infuriated by the move. That day, Wiles told Florida Politics that she had left Ballard Partners, citing health reasons.

March 2021: Named to Lead Fundraising Operations

In March 2021, following his loss, Trump appointed Susie Wiles to lead his fundraising operations, including Save America, a political action committee. Wiles requested that Trump only cover her travel expenses.

2021: Appointed to Lead Donald Trump's Fundraising Apparatus

In 2021, Wiles was appointed to lead then-former President Donald Trump's fundraising apparatus, including Save America.

February 2022: Joined Mercury Public Affairs

In February 2022, Susie Wiles joined Mercury Public Affairs as a co-chair of global public strategy.

November 2022: Named Donald Trump's Campaign Manager

In November 2022, after Trump announced his presidential campaign, Wiles was named as his campaign manager alongside Chris LaCivita.

2022: Managed Trump's Post-Presidential Activities

In 2022, Susie Wiles managed much of Trump's post-presidential activities, including his travel, fundraising, and endorsements for the elections. She also led the effort to eliminate Liz Cheney in Wyoming's Republican primary.

2023: Managed Legal Issues for Trump

Throughout 2023, as Trump's legal issues mounted, Susie Wiles was responsible for paying lawyers and ensuring delegates would be loyal to Trump.

December 2024: Replaced White House Counsel

In December 2024, Trump, with Susie Wiles' preference, replaced Bill McGinley with David Warrington as White House counsel.

2024: Named White House Chief of Staff

Following Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election, he named Susie Wiles as his White House chief of staff, making her the first woman to hold the post. She tentatively established a staff structure.

2024: Trump Announced 2024 Election Run

In November 2022, Trump announced that he was running in the 2024 election. His campaign opted to divide the campaign manager role between Wiles and Chris LaCivita.

January 2025: Appointed White House Chief of Staff

In January 2025, Susan L. Wiles assumed the role of the 32nd White House chief of staff.

February 2025: Involved in Prisoner Exchange

In February 2025, as chief of staff, Susie Wiles was involved in negotiating the prisoner exchange between Alexander Vinnik and Marc Fogel. Trump also appointed her to the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.