As it turns out, the architect of the Trump admin’s policy of “stripping children away from their parents” at the US/Mexico border.
Meet Stephen Miller, the 32-year-old White House adviser who convinced Trump to start separating migrant children from their parents at the border
Michal Kranz and Ellen Cranley
Jun. 17, 2018, 3:39 PM 2,878,610
Stephen Miller has written some of President Donald Trump’s most famous speeches.
White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller has been identified as the driving force behind the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy that separates immigrant children from their families at the US-Mexico border.
At 32 years old, he has been a rising star on the far right for years, often making headlines because of his polarizing demeanor and statements long before The New York Times reported June 16 that he was the origin of the controversial policy.
Miller’s stature in Washington, DC, politics has grown as he emerged as a key player in talks to end the government shutdown in January, effectively serving as Trump’s surrogate for crafting the White House position on immigration policy.
One of the few remaining staffers from Trump’s 2016 campaign, Miller also writes the president’s biggest speeches, including Trump’s first State of the Union address.
His hard-line positions and knack for policy have made him a force to be reckoned with. But before Miller became a major figure in the Trump administration, he was an outspoken, conservative activist in high school and college who worked on congressional campaigns.
Here’s how Miller became Trump’s right-hand policy man:
Stephen Miller was born in Santa Monica, California, on August 23, 1985, to a Jewish family whose ancestors fled persecution in what is now Belarus. His family was liberal-leaning, but Miller says he became a stalwart conservative at an early age.
The premiere of “Glee” being shown at Santa Monica High School in 2009. Miller attended SMHS in the early 2000s. Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
In 2002, at age 16, Miller wrote in a letter to the editor that “Osama Bin Laden would feel very welcome at Santa Monica High School” because of the student body’s anti-war attitude after 9/11. Soon enough, Miller began appearing on conservative talk radio in the Los Angeles area.
Miller tapes Sunday-show interviews from the White House. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
Sources: The LookOut, Univision, Politico Magazine
A video emerged in 2017 of his giving a student-government campaign speech at Santa Monica High in which he argued that students shouldn’t have to pick up their own trash because there are “plenty of janitors who are paid to do it” for them. The audience quickly booed him off the stage.
Sources: The Washington Post, Politico Magazine
Miller went on to attend Duke University, where he continued to garner controversy as a prominent conservative ideologue. He appeared on CNN and “The O’Reilly Factor” to defend Duke lacrosse players accused of rape, and he sparred with the university’s Chicano alliance.
Miller on the O’Reilly Factor in 2007.
Sources: The Duke Chronicle, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker
At Duke, Miller interacted with the white nationalist Richard Spencer. While Spencer claimed he had mentored Miller during their time at the university, Miller has denied these claims, saying he merely helped him raise money for an immigration debate.
Richard Spencer, who leads a movement that mixes racism, white nationalism, and populism, speaking in College Station, Texas, in 2016. Associated Press/David J. Phillip
Source: Mother Jones
After graduating with a political-science degree in 2007, Miller worked as a spokesman for the conservative Reps. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and John Shadegg of Arizona.
Michelle Bachman. AP
Sources: Politico Magazine, Vanity Fair
In 2009 he began working for Jeff Sessions, the senator who would later become attorney general, as a policy adviser and communications director.
Jeff Sessions at a rally for Donald Trump in Mobile, Alabama, on December 17, 2016. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, file
Sources: Politico Magazine, Vanity Fair
In 2013, the pair led the charge against a bipartisan bill that would have created a path to citizenship for all immigrants living in the US illegally.
Miller and Sessions during the Trump administration. Andrew Harnik/AP
Sources: Politico Magazine, Vanity Fair
Alongside Sessions, Miller formulated what he termed “nation-state populism,” and he helped other members of Congress campaign. During this period, he also grew close to the Fox News host Tucker Carlson, frequently working with his publication The Daily Caller.
Tucker Carlson on Fox News. Carlson also founded the conservative Daily Caller publication. Fox News
Source: Politico Magazine
Miller joined the Trump campaign in January 2016 as a senior policy adviser.
President Donald Trump with staff members aboard Air Force One on November 8. White House
Sources: Politico Magazine, Washington Post
He quickly cemented his position on the campaign team by writing speeches for Trump, often speaking at rallies himself. He was later appointed to Trump’s economic-policy team.
Miller at a Trump rally in 2016. Brian Snyder/Reuters
Sources: Politico Magazine, Washington Post
Throughout the campaign, Miller also grew close with the future White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. Miller later invited a host of editors and writers from Breitbart News, which Bannon once headed, for a discussion on immigration at the White House.
Miller with Steve Bannon, who ultimately left the White House in August. Andrew Harnik/AP
Sources: Politico, The Washington Post
After sitting on Trump’s transition team, Miller was formally appointed to
Trump’s policy team in January 2017.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Source: Politico
In his early days in the White House, Miller played a part in enacting Trump’s travel ban, which restricted immigration and refugee resettlement, and in cracking down on sanctuary cities. He also lashed out at courts for blocking elements of these policies.
Miller defending Trump on CNN. Twitter/Fox News
Sources: Politico, Vanity Fair
He has also helped write some of Trump’s biggest speeches, including the State of the Union address, his inaugural address, and the keynote he gave at the Republican National Convention in July 2016.
Miller with the White House communications director Hope Hicks, Bannon, and Reince Priebus, then the White House chief of staff, on the South Lawn of the White House on April 29. Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images
Sources: Politico, The Duke Chronicle, The Washington Post
“Stephen really knows how to capture his voice,” the former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said.
Miller and Sean Spicer, then the incoming White House press secretary, arriving at Trump Tower in New York City on January 10, 2017. Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Source: The Washington Post
In August, Miller had a combative exchange with the CNN correspondent Jim Acosta at a press conference on limiting immigration and eliminating the visa lottery program. Their back-and-forth on – among other things – the Statue of Liberty, went viral.
Miller during his clash with CNN’s Jim Acosta. AP Photo/Susan Walsh
Source: Business Insider
Miller had another contentious moment on national television when the CNN host Jake Tapper interviewed him in January 2018. Tapper challenged him on a variety of issues before ending the interview early, and security had to escort Miller out of the studio.
Miller on CNN’s “State of the Union” on January 7. Twitter/CNN
Source: Business Insider
In June, The New York Times reported Miller was behind Trump’s controversial immigration policy that separates children from their families at the US-Mexico border.
Senior White House adviser Stephen Miller walks behind President Donald Trump as he talks to reporters before they depart the White House on June 8, 2018. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Source: The New York Times
The policy, which separated almost 2,000 children from their families in six weeks, has drawn backlash from both sides of the aisle and Trump administration officials.
AP
Source: Business Insider
Miller told the Times the zero-tolerance policy was a “simple decision” and “the message is that no one is exempt from immigration law.”
Senior Advisor to the President for Policy Stephen Miller talks to reporters about President Donald Trump’s support for creating a ‘merit-based immigration system’ August 2, 2017 Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Source: The New York Times
Miller has so far made a name for himself first as a controversial provocateur and now as a right-wing policy wonk.
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