**Susie Wiles: From Lobbyist to Trump's Chief of Staff**

In a decision that continues a bipartisan tradition, President-elect Donald J. Trump has appointed Susie Wiles, a veteran political strategist and former lobbyist, as his chief of staff. Wiles's selection is significant, hinting that Trump’s second term might not be as adversarial towards special interests as his campaign rhetoric once suggested.

Wiles, 67, managed Trump's recent campaign and has been integral to the formation of his new executive office. Her influence was notably demonstrated last week when she addressed a prominent group of donors in Las Vegas. During her address, she indicated that Trump plans to reestablish several executive orders that had been revoked by President Biden.

Susie Wiles’s career before joining the Trump team includes representing a tobacco company and a mining project, among other business ventures. She worked at Mercury Public Affairs starting in 2022 and continued her lobbying activities until early this year. However, she cut ties with the firm after her appointment as chief of staff on November 7, according to sources familiar with the period.

The appointment of former lobbyists to high-ranking government roles is not unprecedented. It has been a common practice under presidents from both political parties. President Biden’s first chief of staff, Ron Klain, is a notable example, though his last registered lobbying activity was over 15 years prior to his appointment.

Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, has expressed concerns about Wiles’s lobbyist background. They have urged her to recuse herself from policy discussions that might influence her former clients.