report<\/a> from The Atlantic journalists Michael Scherer and Nick Miroff, Trump has privately expressed concern that Miller\u2019s aggressive instincts sometimes go too far, marking a notable shift for one of the president\u2019s most loyal and powerful longtime advisers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe report claims Trump \u201chas also told others in recent weeks that he understands Miller sometimes goes too far.\u201d The alleged change reportedly became more noticeable following unrest in Minneapolis and the death of protester Alex Pretti.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump reportedly \u201crecognized immediately after the second killing in Minneapolis, of the protester Alex Pretti, that the policy needed to shift.\u201d Miller, however, took a far more confrontational tone, referring to Pretti as a \u201cdomestic terrorist\u201d in the aftermath of the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For years, Miller has been one of the most influential figures in Trump\u2019s orbit. The former Senate aide rose to prominence during Trump\u2019s first campaign in 2016 and quickly became the driving force behind many of the administration\u2019s toughest immigration policies, including travel bans, refugee restrictions, and mass deportation proposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike many Trump officials who cycled in and out of the administration, Miller built a uniquely durable relationship with the president. His fiery populist rhetoric and uncompromising stance on immigration made him a hero to many MAGA voters, while critics accused him of pushing excessively punitive policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But according to The Atlantic, recent months have revealed growing divisions within the administration over how aggressively to pursue Trump\u2019s immigration crackdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report states that Trump backed away from several Miller-backed initiatives after consulting with border czar Tom Homan and other officials. One major example involved a proposal to slash seasonal worker visas by 50%, a move that reportedly alarmed business interests and other administration figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cThe new secretary is listening to Tom Homan and Rodney Scott before he is ever listening to Stephen Miller,\u201d one senior administration official told Scherer and Miroff.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Another former official summed up Miller\u2019s changing position bluntly: \u201cThe president knows who he is, period.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Atlantic also reported that while there have been no known clashes between Homan and Miller, the two men have promoted very different strategies for carrying out Trump\u2019s mass-deportation agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miller has reportedly pushed for maximizing deportation numbers as quickly as possible, while Homan has favored a more targeted approach focused on illegal immigrants with criminal records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cThere have been no accounts of clashes or tension between Homan and Miller, and the former has even praised the latter as \u2018one of the most brilliant people I\u2019ve met in my entire life,\u2019\u201d the report noted.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Still, Homan\u2019s influence appears to be growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the report, the Department of Homeland Security has quietly reversed several changes Miller pushed earlier in Trump\u2019s second term. One key example involved accelerated training for new ICE recruits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miller had reportedly advocated for shortening ICE academy training to roughly eight weeks in an effort to rapidly expand deportation operations. Veteran officers reportedly warned that the abbreviated training created serious concerns, especially as dropout rates surged among recruits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn recent weeks, ICE reverted to a four-and-a-half-month training program similar to its former academy course,\u201d the report stated, citing three officials familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the apparent shift, insiders told The Atlantic that Miller remains deeply embedded in Trump\u2019s inner circle and is not expected to leave the administration anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cWhite House insiders said that Miller remains a top adviser to the president, that he has a singular relationship to Trump built over the past decade, and that his job is not in jeopardy,\u201d Scherer and Miroff reported.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The claims stand in stark contrast to earlier reporting that portrayed Miller as perhaps the single most influential policy figure in Trump\u2019s second administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A bombshell report published by The New York Times in March suggested Miller had effectively become the driving force behind major Justice Department priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was clear from the start that Mr. Miller, who is not a lawyer, would exercise control inside the department, current and former Trump aides said,\u201d the Times reported at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether Miller\u2019s reported decline in influence proves temporary or permanent remains unclear. But the emerging picture suggests that even some of Trump\u2019s most trusted allies are now competing for influence as the administration navigates mounting political and public pressure over immigration enforcement and domestic unrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n