Tillis calls on Miller to depart White House: 'Out of his depth'

The North Carolina senator says the White House deputy chief of staff has an 'outsized influence' and has been 'repeatedly responsible for embarrassments'.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has called for White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to leave President Trump's inner circle, saying Miller is 'out of his depth' and has been 'repeatedly responsible for embarrassments' for the administration. Tillis also criticized Miller's influence over Cabinet members and his push to increase immigration arrests.

Why it matters

Miller has been a controversial figure in the Trump administration due to his hardline immigration views. Tillis' criticism of Miller's influence and calls for him to leave the White House reflect growing concerns within the Republican party about Miller's role and impact on the administration's policies.

The details

Tillis told CNN's Jake Tapper that Miller 'really wants to just paint a picture' and is 'not worried about substance' and that he has an 'outsized influence over the operations of the Cabinet.' Tillis previously criticized both Miller and outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for their comments about the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.

  • Kristi Noem will soon depart her Cabinet-level post as DHS Secretary.
  • Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) is preparing for his confirmation hearings to replace Noem at the helm of DHS.

The players

Thom Tillis

A Republican senator from North Carolina who is retiring from the Senate. He has been critical of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller's influence and immigration policies.

Stephen Miller

A longtime adviser to President Trump who currently serves as White House Deputy Chief of Staff. Tillis has accused him of being 'out of his depth' and 'repeatedly responsible for embarrassments' for the administration.

Kristi Noem

The outgoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary in the Trump administration.

Markwayne Mullin

A Republican senator from Oklahoma who is preparing for his confirmation hearings to replace Noem as DHS Secretary.

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What they’re saying

“Oh, of course I do.”

— Thom Tillis, Senator (CNN)

“Not only does Stephen really want to just paint a picture. He's not worried about substance. He's more worried about form.”

— Thom Tillis, Senator (CNN)

“But I also think that he has an outsized influence over the operations of the Cabinet. And I believe we have got qualified Cabinet members there that sometimes are doing less than what they want to because of his direction and his outsized influence.”

— Thom Tillis, Senator (CNN)

What’s next

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) is preparing for his confirmation hearings to replace Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary.

The takeaway

Tillis' criticism of Miller's influence and calls for him to leave the White House reflect growing concerns within the Republican party about Miller's hardline immigration views and impact on the administration's policies.