President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday announced he’d named top adviser Susie Wiles as his chief of staff. The longtime Florida political operative and highest-ranking woman in his campaign, will become the first woman to hold the key position. 

“Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history, and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns,” the president-elect said in a statement. 

“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected,” he said, adding: “It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.” 

Wiles was one of the de facto co-chairs of the Trump campaign. Her long career in Florida politics includes a key role in helping Trump win Florida in 2016, flipping the state and setting it on a stunning trajectory to the right that has ushered in conservative policies like a six-week ban on abortion and restrictions on schools from discussing LGBTQ+ identity. Wiles went on to help Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to victory in both 2018 and 2022, though she eventually exited his administration and went on to say in an interview that working for the governor was the “biggest mistake” of her career.

It’s not clear what role Wiles’ influence will have on Trump in the White House. In an interview with Politico, Wiles said she “didn’t love” the events of January 6, 2021, when a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol following a rally during which Trump said the election had been stolen from him. But, Wiles also said, “I didn’t think he caused it.”

Wiles appeared briefly on stage at Trump’s victory remarks in West Palm Beach early Wednesday, giving the public a glimpse of the operative, who is known for working in the background but will exert a lot of power over the country as Trump transitions into the White House.

“Susie, come. Susie, come here,” Trump said during his victory speech Wednesday, beckoning Wiles with his hands to say a few words on stage as she repeatedly declined to speak. “Susie likes to stay sort of in the back. Let me tell you, the ice baby. We call her the ice baby. … Susie likes to stay in the background. She’s not in the background.”

After Wiles declined, Trump again tried to usher her onto the mic as she continued to back away. 

Wiles stepped into the spotlight briefly in the waning days of the campaign, a rarity. On Oct. 31, Wiles took to the social media site X to push back on comments by billionaire Mark Cuban, who said Trump doesn’t surround himself with “strong, intelligent women.” 

“I’m told [Mark Cuban] needs help identifying the strong and intelligent women surrounding Pres. Trump. Well, here we are!” Wiles said.