By now, it’s been well established that Donald Trump has no shortage of connections to the sports world.
And on Thursday night, he added one more, naming Susie Wiles his chief of staff for his upcoming second presidential term.
Set to become the first woman to ever hold the position in the White House, Wiles previously served as the co-chair of Trump’s campaign for the 2024 election, in which he defeated Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris. Wiles also happens to be the daughter of the late Pat Summerall, the legendary NFL broadcaster best known for teaming with John Madden in broadcast booths at CBS and Fox from the 1980s to the early 2000s.
Despite being born into broadcasting royalty, Wiles chose a very different career path from her father, with ties to the Republican party that date back to the late-1970s and Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign, where she worked as a campaign scheduler. Over the years, she has worked for a number of Republican campaigns and administrations, predominantly in Florida.
INBOX: Susie Wiles will be the first woman to serve as @WHCOS, the @realDonaldTrump transition team says pic.twitter.com/ky5UfCcvlj
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) November 7, 2024
As for her connection to Trump, Wiles ran his campaign operations in Florida for the 2016 election before working as a top advisor to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis until a high profile split in 2019. She returned to Trump’s orbit in 2021, taking over as the CEO of the Save America PAC before co-chairing his 2024 campaign alongside Chris LaCivita.
While Wiles has famously attempted to keep a low profile, she has received plenty of praise in the wake of Trump’s lopsided re-election, including during the 45th/47th president’s victory speech, in which he referred to the New Jersey native by her nickname, “The Ice Maiden.” Despite her preference for staying in the background, she is now set to serve in one of the most high profile positions in Trump’s White House, thrusting her into a spotlight that’s hardly been unfamiliar to her family.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.