The Conversation Weekly The Making of an Autocrat: recruit an architect
7 snips
Dec 28, 2025 Emma Shortis, a historian and adjunct senior fellow at RMIT University, explores the significant yet unseen role of Stephen Miller as an architect of Donald Trump's power. She reveals how Miller's loyalty and communication skills helped shape hardline immigration policies. Shortis compares him to historical figures like Karl Rove and highlights his incendiary rhetoric. The conversation delves into the essential traits of unelected architects who enable autocrats, asking whether Trump could've consolidated power without Miller's influence.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Unelected Architect Of Power
- Stephen Miller functions as Trump's chief architect despite a modest title, shaping policy and messaging from the shadows.
- Emma Shortis says Miller joined early, stayed loyal, and moved from Sessions' office to become a central Trump strategist.
Master Of Political Messaging
- Miller is skilled at translating radical ideas into seemingly common-sense messaging that Trump and supporters embrace.
- Shortis highlights his talent for 'laundering' hardline proposals so they become politically usable.
Expanding The Executive
- Miller designs policies that expand presidential power and embeds his style into executive orders and memos.
- Shortis argues his fingerprints are visible across the White House's legal and policy moves.