White House Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Walters is leaving the Trump administration, marking the first major staff departure since President Donald Trump announced that Stephen Miller would replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff.
Miller confirmed the exit in a statement to Fox News, praising Walters' service and noting that he would remain involved with the administration in an outside capacity.
"Richard has been an invaluable member of the White House and has helped deliver some of the Administration's biggest victories," Miller said. "While he will be leaving us, Richard will continue to help from the outside as we continue to work with all of our strength to deliver for President Trump and his courageous fight to Save America."
Walters, a longtime ally of Wiles, was appointed to the deputy chief of staff role in May 2026, according to LegiStorm, ending a tenure of roughly six months. Before joining the White House staff, he served as executive director of the inaugural committee for Trump and Vice President JD Vance, according to Georgetown University, where he was a fellow at the Institute of Politics and Public Service.
His departure comes as Miller prepares to install his own leadership team when he formally takes over on Monday. The shakeup is part of a broader effort by Trump to overhaul his administration following the midterm elections, in which Republicans lost control of both the House and the Senate.
Trump named Miller as his incoming chief of staff on Friday, describing him as one of his "most trusted advisors." A White House official told Fox News Digital that the transition was "very amicable" and that Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday night.
The changes also reached Miller's family on Sunday, when his wife, Katie Miller, announced she would stop recording new episodes of her show, The Katie Miller Podcast, which features interviews with political figures, athletes and other public personalities.
"With @StephenM taking on this new role for President Trump, I've decided to stop recording new podcast episodes," she wrote in a post on X, explaining that the decision was based on what was best for her children and family as her husband's new role shifts their priorities.
"Nothing is more important than raising our four kids. While I've loved the podcast, the time commitment is too great and now is the time to step away," she added. "I'll be cheering President Trump and his team on from outside the administration." Katie Miller said the show will release two final episodes that were recorded before her decision.
