Swamp Notes How Stephen Miller is defining Trump’s second term
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Oct 17, 2025 
Ed Luce, U.S. national editor at the Financial Times and co-author of the Swamp Notes newsletter, dives deep into Stephen Miller’s pivotal role in shaping Trump’s second term. They discuss Miller's hardline agenda and how his influence has surged with fewer checks on power. Luce reveals Miller's ideological roots and the chilling implications of recent speeches. The conversation highlights Miller's tactics to enact policy changes, including federalizing troops in cities. What’s next for Miller? A potential clash with the courts looms.
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Early Roots And Bannon Mentorship
- Ed Luce recounts Miller's long history as an unapologetic ethno-nationalist shaped early by Steve Bannon.
- Luce notes Miller's background surprised his liberal Jewish California family given his extremist trajectory.
Power Through Presidential Levers
- Stephen Miller bypasses normal policy processes to push the president's will through every available executive lever.
- He prioritizes speed and raw presidential power over legal and bureaucratic consultation.
Absence Of 'Adults' Boosts Miller
- Miller's influence rose because the internal 'adults in the room' who previously blocked him are gone.
- That gives him near-prime-minister control over domestic policy in Trump's second term.