Karoline Leavitt defends Stephen Miller, says he’s ‘quite kind’ behind closed doors

WASHINGTON, DC: Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended new White House chief of staff Stephen Miller during her first appearance as a Fox News contributor, describing him as a loyal and compassionate person whose public image does not reflect the man she knows.

Speaking on 'The Faulkner Focus', Leavitt said she had worked with Miller for approximately seven years and considered him one of her dear friends. She pushed back against the perception of him as an aggressive figure, saying he was "actually quite kind behind the scenes."

Her comments came as Miller faced criticism over his reportedly contentious relationships with colleagues and his role in shaping President Donald Trump's immigration policies.

Karoline Leavitt calls Stephen Miller loyal and kind

During her appearance on Fox News, host Harris Faulkner asked Leavitt about the public perception of Miller, who has been described in media reports as an aggressive and demanding figure within the administration.

Having worked with Miller for about seven years, Leavitt said she had a different understanding of his personality. She described him as a loyal friend and a committed supporter of Trump's political agenda.

"One of the greatest misconceptions you will read about in the fake news today is who Stephen Miller is, what the fake news believes that he is," Leavitt told Faulkner.

"He is a loyal person. And he's actually quite kind behind the scenes. You won't hear that from the Democrats or the losers in the fake news media."

She went on to describe him as "one of my dear friends" and a "true believer" in Trump's mission to "make America great again."

Leavitt further claimed that Miller was "widely respected by the staff" and praised his sense of humor. Her remarks offered a personal account of someone she had worked with closely, contrasting with descriptions of his management style in media reports.

Stephen Miller's reputation among former White House colleagues

Miller has developed a reputation among some former White House colleagues as an abrasive and demanding figure who is nevertheless effective at carrying out Trump's priorities.

Former Homeland Security official Miles Taylor previously described him as a "ferocious micromanager," claiming that Miller made late-night calls and unexpectedly inserted himself into meetings deep within the federal bureaucracy.

"He gets on the phone, and he yells at everybody," an unnamed official told The Atlantic. "Nobody is spared from his wrath."

More recently, Daily Beast reporter Sarah Ewall-Wice said Miller's former Capitol Hill colleagues did not appear to have particularly fond memories of working with him.

"I don't know anybody who would consider themselves a friend of Stephen Miller," she told The Daily Beast during a Substack live discussion.

Political analyst and Beast contributor David Rothkopf also recalled interviewing a former Trump Cabinet-level official who described Miller as "the biggest a--hole I've ever met."

Speaking on 'The Daily Beast Podcast', Rothkopf said people from Trump's first administration "hated him." He also suggested that Miller's confrontational reputation could create challenges in his new position as White House chief of staff.

Former DHS official Taylor also called Miller "formidable and very effective," pointing to his understanding of how the federal government operates.

That assessment reflects an aspect of Miller's professional reputation that Leavitt also highlighted while defending her former colleague.