Susie Wiles, the first woman to hold the position of White House chief of staff, has been diagnosed with early-stage br–st cancer. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that she will maintain her responsibilities while undergoing treatment.
Wiles, 68, has remained a prominent figure beside Trump since his January 2025 return to the presidency. Republican observers credit her with enhancing discipline in the White House during the president’s second term, while allowing the president to operate predominantly on his own terms.
Moments after revealing Wiles’ serious cancer diagnosis, President Donald Trump was seen pulling out a seat for her, in a gesture of courtesy toward a member of his administration.
❤️ 🚨 Trump on Susie Wiles: “She’s an amazing person, an amazing fighter… she had a diagnosis, you probably saw, and she’s going to take care of it immediately… she’s going to be in great shape.”
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 16, 2026
Writing on Truth Social, Trump commended Wiles’ contributions to his administration. He said, “Susie Wiles is an incredible Chief of Staff, a great person and one of the strongest people I know but, unfortunately, she has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, and has decided to take on this challenge, IMMEDIATELY, as opposed to waiting.” The president stated that Wiles has an exceptional medical team and her recovery outlook is “excellent.”
On Monday, Wiles appeared with President Donald Trump at a press briefing shortly after the news, wearing a pink blazer to show awareness of the disease. During this time, Wiles is expected to be virtually full-time at the White House, which the president said he welcomed. The president also hailed Wiles’ strength and commitment to her duties.
In a statement released on the same day, Wiles noted that “close to one in eight women in America are affected by the disease, and many of us continue to fight for our families, our jobs, and our communities with strength and determination, and I am one of them.”
President Trump referred to Wiles as a “close and important adviser” and hailed her strength and commitment to serving the public. He also expressed his confidence in Wiles’ recovery and mentioned that both he and Melania Trump are providing Wiles with their full support, as reported by the Express US.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump announces that his Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, has breast cancer
She will continue working while undergoing treatment pic.twitter.com/QIQEXLt40w
— Politics US (@PolitlcsUS) March 16, 2026
Wiles did not reveal what treatment she will undergo but said that doctors diagnosed her early and that she has a good prognosis. She is the first woman to hold this position in the White House and is the most powerful staff member in the White House, responsible for ensuring that the president’s agenda is implemented. She is a veteran political strategist and was instrumental in Trump’s political resurgence and his winning campaign in 2024. She is said to be the most influential member of Trump’s staff.
Vanity Fair published an interview with Wiles last December, where she opened up about her experience of working with Trump. Her comments on Trump’s personality, which she shared in the interviews, including remarks comparing traits to those of an alcoholic, which Trump lacks, as he does not use alcohol, became popular in Washington. Trump later defended Wiles.
Wiles said the publication did not provide proper context for her statements, which led to an “overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative.” The publication also talked about how she decided to go along with Trump’s instincts rather than trying to stop them, as some of Trump’s previous first-term chiefs of staff tried to do.
