President Donald Trump speaks during a board meeting of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in the East Room of the White House in Washington, as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wills looks on. (AP photo)White House chief of staff Susie Wills has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer
but will continue to work during her treatment, President Donald Trump said in a social media post on Monday.
Trump said Wills’ prognosis is “excellent” and described him as “one of the strongest people I know.” He said Wills planned to begin treatment immediately but made no suggestion that she was taking back her job as one of his closest advisers.
“During the period of her treatment, she will spend almost all of her time at the White House, which will delight me as President!” Trump made the statement on his Truth Social platform. “She’ll be better soon!”
It comes as the Republican president faces mounting challenges on the global and national fronts, from the war in Iran and rising oil prices to this autumn’s midterm elections and US concerns over affordability.
Wills, 68, is a long-time Trump ally who rose from co-chairman of his campaign to his closest adviser and lawyer. The first woman to become White House chief of staff, Wills spent decades as a lobbyist and political operative in Florida and led Trump’s 2016 effort in the state.
She mostly stays out of the spotlight but gained attention in December with an unusually candid Vanity Fair interview in which she made critical comments about Trump administration leaders, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Trump then underlined his confidence in Wills, calling the interview a “hit piece” and describing Wills as “brilliant”.
In his Monday post, Trump reiterated that Wills is “direly and deeply committed to serving the American people.”
“Melania and I are with her every step of the way, and we look forward to working with Susie on many big and wonderful things to happen for the benefit of our country,” Trump said.
