Susie Wiles joins Melania Trump’s women’s health task force amid White House ouster rumors
WASHINGTON, DC: White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has taken on a new role as co-chair of first lady Melania Trump’s task force on women’s health. Wiles appeared alongside the first lady at a White House ceremony on Monday, October 19.
The move comes amid speculation about Wiles’ standing in the administration following reports of internal tensions after President Donald Trump appointed Katie Zacharia as press secretary without consulting her.
Susie Wiles joins Melania Trump’s women’s health task force
Wiles will serve as co-chair of the new task force established through an executive order signed by President Donald Trump and the first lady. She attended the Rose Garden ceremony and stood alongside the couple as they signed the order.
Although Wiles did not speak at the event, her new position places her at the center of the administration’s women’s health initiative.
The New York Post reported that the appointment also gives Wiles a prominent role alongside Melania, with whom she has a cordial relationship.
After the ceremony, Wiles praised the first lady’s leadership in a social media post.
“I am especially grateful for first lady Melania Trump’s leadership in championing women’s health,” Wiles wrote.
Susie Wiles opens up about breast cancer recovery
Wiles said her own experience with breast cancer made the initiative particularly meaningful. She announced in September that she was cancer-free after undergoing treatment.
Some personal news I’m grateful to share. After a medical appointment at the Mayo Clinic this week, my pathology results came back clear. I am cancer free. Thank you to my family, friends, doctors, and everyone who prayed for me, checked in, and supported me along the way. A special thank you to President Trump for his unwavering support. I am deeply grateful and will continue to work to advance his America First Agenda.
— Susie Wiles (@SusieWiles47) September 16, 2026
“This is deeply personal to me. Having gone through breast cancer myself, I know firsthand the importance of early detection, medical research, and quality care,” Wiles wrote.
She also thanked the president and first lady for their commitment to improving women’s health.
In an interview with Fox News, Wiles described her treatment as “brutal and unrelenting” but said continuing to work helped her cope.
“Work gave me somewhere else to put my mind,” she said. “It reminded me that I was still myself and that cancer was something I was going through, not the entirety of who I was.”
Susie Wiles’ new role follows White House tensions
Wiles’ appointment comes after reports that her position as chief of staff had come under scrutiny following Trump’s decision to hire Zacharia as press secretary without consulting her.
The administration was also reportedly dealing with internal disagreements over who would bear responsibility if Republicans performed poorly in the November midterm elections.
Wiles had faced questions about her influence in the West Wing as several former campaign staff members who joined the administration departed.
Those who have left include former Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair, former head of the Office of Legislative Affairs James Braid, White House Counsel David Warrington and former press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
However, Trump defended Wiles last week amid speculation about her future, saying she would remain in her position for the foreseeable future.
The first lady’s new initiative brings Wiles into a policy area that both women have expressed an interest in supporting.
According to reports, Melania reached out to Wiles during her breast cancer treatment.
Wiles has been credited with helping Trump return to the White House and bringing stability to his administration. She is also the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff.
