President Donald Trump could soon appoint a new policy adviser. Stephen Miller, a senior aide who was recently in the headlines for sparring with journalists during a televised briefing, is the top candidate to become the head of the White House's communications team.
Fallout from the Scarammuci tirade
Miller is known to have a hardline view on immigration, is expected to be the latest beneficiary in a series of personnel reshuffles that Trump has been carrying out in in the six months since he assumed office. According to an official whose name was not revealed, Miller is on a shortlist that has been prepared by Trump.
However, according to the Axios news website that ran the story on Saturday, Miller is not the top contender. Last week, President Trump fired Antony Scarramuci, the White House communications boss. Scaramucci was sacked over an expletive ridden tirade to a New Yorker magazine reporter. Scarammuci was fired just ten days after Trump appointed him, and the position remains vacant.
Bringing order to the White House
Trump also recently appointed General John Kelly as the new White House chief of staff. According to White House sources, General Kelly - a retired Marine Corps soldier- is seeking to bring order to the White House, which has been dogged by factional rivalries and backbiting, and recommended that Trump dismiss Scarammuci.
In June, Mike Dubke excused himself from the role of Communications Director. Since then, there has been a revolving door at the White House. Sean Spicer was filling the position of communications till Trump moved to appoint Mr. Scarammuci. General Miller was an aide to former Senator Jeff Sessions, until his appointment by Trump as Attorney General.
Miller has also been one of President Trump's since last year's presidential campaign. The general was one of the authors of the president's controversial proposed ban on visitors from several Muslim majority countries. The proposed ban has led to bitter protests and a string of legal challenges.
On Thursday, Miller revealed to journalists that the president supports proposed laws that would upend the current United States immigration system.
The proposed legislation would create a merit-based approach to the issuance of visas by giving more leeway to younger immigrants who hold advanced degrees. When a journalist opined that such a policy could be racist and against what the United States stands for, Miller accused the reporter of letting his cosmopolitan bias dictate his views.
