Ordoñez says Miller appointment raises questions about working with Democrats
President Donald Trump said he could work with Democrats on immigration, tax cuts and economic development initiatives in an NPR interview. Asked in Florida what policies he could work with Democrats on, Trump said: “I think a lot. I mean, I said before, immigrations one, tax cuts or maybe certain things having to do with taxes to make it more convenient and better, a lot of economic development initiatives we can do. I think we can do a lot of things together, actually. You know, a lot of them are about common sense also.”
White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, who was traveling with Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, called the moment “a wait and see moment.” He said Miller’s loyalty to Trump raises questions about the president’s openness to working with Democrats. NPR host Rob Schmitz introduced that contrast by saying the staffing moves “indicate otherwise.”
Trump is replacing Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff with Miller after Republican midterm losses. Schmitz described Miller as a “hard-liner,” while Trump has described the Democratic Party as a “domestic extremist organization.”
Ordoñez called Wiles’s departure “a very big deal” and said the departure and appointment were “all wrapped together.” Wiles led Trump’s campaign and his return to the White House, and she was the first female White House chief of staff. Ordoñez said she was considered a “stabilizing force” because she brought discipline to a White House with “a lot of competing personalities.”
Ordoñez called Miller “one of the most uncompromising political ideologues pressing for Trump’s agenda.” He said Miller architected some of Trump’s “most controversial policies,” including border policies and mass deportation raids that led to “a significant level of political backlash.” Ordoñez also said Miller is “very loyal,” a quality Trump prizes and that means a lot to him “especially when he’s under pressure like he is right now.”
Speaking at Mar-a-Lago this weekend, Miller said in an archived recording: “We need to stand with the man who has stood with us and this country with every fiber of his being. It is the honor of my life to be President Trump’s chief of staff. And I swear to you, and I pledge you, Mr. President, my absolute loyalty, my unwavering commitment and my total devotion to your success and the success of this country.” Trump posted the video on his social media page.
Ordoñez grouped Miller’s appointment with other comments, including Trump’s posting of a picture of a red MAGA hat saying “Mr. Veto” and his suggestion that Dana White, the chief executive of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, could serve as press secretary. He said the moves, taken together, send “a different message” than Trump’s openness to working with Democrats.
Trump has also offered the press secretary job to Dana White. Asked whether the offer was real, Ordoñez said he wanted to be careful because Trump had a tendency to “kind of lure political opponents into controversy in order to draw attention to himself and then kind of make fun of the overreaction.” The White House has not clarified whether the offer is genuine.
On Saturday, November 7, Dana White said he was going to meet Trump on Monday to talk about the job. Ordoñez noted that “this president has done some surprising things.”
Some Republicans have spoken out about Miller’s appointment, Ordoñez said, questioning whether Trump learned his lesson after “such devastating midterm losses.” Ordoñez added: “Trump is going to do what Trump wants to do.”
Whatever happens with the press secretary role, Ordoñez said, the episode “speaks to a message being sent” and that “the president is saying he has no plans on backing down, and he is preparing to fight moving forward.”