White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles announced Monday that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Ms Wiles, 68, said in a press release that the illness was detected in its early stages and that she would continue in her position. She is the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff and served as co-chair of President Trump’s 2024 campaign.
She said she will soon begin treatment that will last several weeks in the Washington area.
“Nearly one in eight women in the United States will face this diagnosis. Every day, these women continue to raise their families, go to work and serve their communities with strength and determination. I now join their ranks,” she said.
Ms. Wiles said she was encouraged by a “strong prognosis” and informed Mr. Trump of her diagnosis after learning of it last week.
“I am grateful to have an exceptional team of doctors who detected cancer early and are guiding my care, and I am encouraged by a strong prognosis,” she said. “I am also deeply grateful for President Trump’s support and encouragement as I undergo treatment and continue in my current role.”
Mr. Trump called her prognosis “strong,” adding that Ms. Wiles had built “an effective team” and described her as one of his “most important and effective advisors.”
Ms. Wiles said the president had built “an effective team around him,” one that would ensure there was no disruption in the West Wing during his treatment.
“During the treatment period, she will spend virtually all of her time at the White House, which makes me very happy as president!” Mr. Trump wrote at Truth Social. “Her strength and commitment to continuing to do the work she loves and does so well, while undergoing treatment, tells you everything you need to know about her.”
Shortly after announcing her diagnosis, Ms. Wiles joined the president in a White House meeting with the Trump Kennedy Center board.
Mr. Trump said at the event that Ms. Wiles “will be in good shape; she will be here for a long time.”
Other members of the administration and those on Capitol Hill offered sympathy and encouragement to Ms. Wiles.
White House deputy chief of staff James Blair wrote on
Rep. Lisa McClain of Michigan, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, wrote on X that she was praying for Ms. Wiles, calling her “one of Washington’s strongest fighters.”
Ms Wiles did not say what treatment she would receive.
In the United States, approximately 300,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, according to data from the National Institutes of Health. Survival rates for breast cancer are high, especially when detected early, with a five-year survival rate of 92 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.
However, survival is highly dependent on stage and location. For example, localized cancer has a survival rate of approximately 99%, but this rate drops to 33% for distant metastases.
The daughter of famous NFL player-turned-broadcaster Pat Summerall, Ms. Wiles worked as Florida campaign chairwoman for Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
She then became an adviser to Mr. Trump, handling much of his post-presidential activities, including travel, fundraising and endorsements for the 2022 election. She was one of two senior campaign officials who traveled with Mr. Trump to Butler, Pennsylvania, when he was shot in the ear by an assassination attempt in July 2024.
