President Donald Trump defended his senior advisor Stephen Miller on Wednesday, despite criticism from the establishment of Miller’s efforts to implement a tougher immigration agenda in the White House.
“Stephen is an excellent guy, he’s a wonderful person, people don’t know him, he’s been with me since the beginning, he’s a brilliant man,” Trump said.
The president commented on Miller as he left the White House for a trip to Texas for a series of fundraisers.
Media, Democrat, and Hollywood critics falsely described Miller as a “white nationalist” after it was clear a tougher immigration agenda was ascendant in the White House.
One reporter asked Trump if Miller was now running the Department of Homeland Security and if the president would consider naming him as the DHS Secretary.
“Frankly there’s only one person that’s running it,” Trump said. “You know who that is? Me.”
The president was also asked about the possibility of naming Kris Kobach as the new Department of Homeland Security secretary.
“I respect him, I like him, and he’s someone I have a lot of regard for,” he said about Kobach.
He said that Kevin McAleenan, the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection would do a good job as the new acting DHS Secretary, while he considered a permanent replacement.
“We have others. But right now he’s the man, he’s doing a great job,” Trump said.