President-elect Donald Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles sent a message Sunday ordering nominees to refrain from any posting on social media as Senate confirmation hearings are scheduled to start next week.
“While this instruction has been delivered previously, I am reiterating that no member of the incoming administration or Transition speaks for the United States or the President-elect himself,” Wiles wrote in a memo obtained by The Post.
“Accordingly, all intended nominees should refrain from any public social media posts without prior approval of the incoming White House counsel,” she said in the Dec. 29 missive.
The first-ever female chief of staff, nicknamed the “ice maiden,” also noted that she appreciates “how enthusiastic everyone is” about joining the second Trump term in her otherwise frank directive.
Trump’s nominees have been silent ahead of what is expected to be a fraught process for some in the GOP-controlled Senate. If Democrats band together against any nominee’s confirmation, Republicans can’t afford to lose four or more votes from their own conference.
The Wiles memo — according to a Trump transition source — is not in response to the recent social media ruckus caused by Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chairs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy over H-1B visas that had MAGA world spinning.
DOGE is not an official department, despite its name, and does not need Senate confirmation, meaning the tech moguls are free to convey their opinions online.
“It was a reminder of the guidance to intended nominees as confirmation hearings get underway next week,” the transition source told The Post.
Several of Trump’s cabinet picks have faced scrutiny in recent weeks, but only one, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), stepped down from his post as attorney general pick after a private Senate whip count was shared with him indicating he didn’t have the votes for confirmation.
Other picks needing Senate confirmation have held on — despite waves of criticism — like Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth, who faced a storm of allegations about his drinking and sexual misconduct, but still has Trump in his corner heading into the confirmation process.
Trump’s nominees have refrained from posting on social media from their public accounts, per a review from The Post, indicating the top-town directive has been heeded.
Those who could face tough questioning — such as former Democrats like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of National Intelligence, respectively — have also quieted down since Christmas.
All nominees have been in closed-door discussions with senators on Capitol Hill in recent weeks — including some Democrats — to whip up support.
Even Hegseth — whose confirmation was on thin ice due to some GOP reservations — has since received backing from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who said she had “encouraging conversations” with him.
The defense secretary designee had been defending his record online — and slamming critics as well as “anti-Christian bigotry in the media” for claiming his cross tattoos were symbols of white supremacy.
