Of course, Stephen Miller has much more recently become a cause célèbre. As White House deputy chief of staff for policy and United States homeland security adviser, he has recently had both of those prestigious titles. Hardline immigration policy Miller is perhaps most well-known for heading up the administration’s most hardline anti-immigration policies. While his political orientation has generated considerable media coverage, so too have the inflammatory public statements from others targeting his personal life and professional reputation.
Miller, who’s 4’10”, is one of the most powerful people you’ve never heard of in the history of the Trump administration. His dramatic policy moves have energized and enraged supporters and opponents alike. This division has led to sharply different assessments of his influence on U.S. immigration governance. Last week, Jesse Watters, another Fox News host, lauded Miller as a “policy savant,” celebrating his skill. As we wrote about here, this applause has come despite heavy criticism from all sides, including scathing criticism coming from Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Mixed Reactions from Family and Public Figures
The political fixation on Miller has stretched beyond political establishment. His family members have publicly criticized him, overshadowing even his meteoric rise in many respects. Miller’s cousin and former babysitter, Alisa Kasmer, went on Facebook to call him “the face of evil.” Likewise, Dr. David Glosser, Miller’s uncle, blasted him in a recent essay for Politico, labelling him an “immigration hypocrite.” Glosser talked about his family’s experience fleeing from persecution as Jewish refugees. He warned that the environmental policies Miller championed could have serious repercussions.
“Had been in force a century ago, our family would have been wiped out.” – Dr. David Glosser
Despite that outpouring of anger from members of Miller’s family, there are many people coming to Miller’s defense, rallying around his record and character. Watters has led the charge as a fierce ally. For example, he recently welcomed Stephen Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, a critical figure in the MAGA movement, onto his show. In their discussion, we hear Watters talking about Stephen’s qualities, including that he is “hot,” because apparently a hot guy makes all the difference.
“Men who are high-value men, like Stephen Miller, take risks. They’re brave, they‘re unafraid, they’re confident and they’re on a mission.” – Jesse Watters
Ocasio-Cortez’s Provocative Remarks
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been extremely vocal in her condemnation of Miller. She referred to him as a “clown,” urging others to mock him and make fun of his appearance. She called him out, in real time, for ridiculous policies. She had cutting comments on his stature and swagger. Taken together, her comments suggested that his physical stature should somehow be taken into account in shaping his uncompromising political hardball demeanor.
“Miller looks like he is so mad that he is 4’10” that he’s taking that anger out at any other population possible.” – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
In response to Ocasio-Cortez’s comments Steven Cheung, the White House director of communications, jumped on Twitter to defend Miller and attack Ocasio-Cortez. He jokingly suggested that she was used to shorter people, after taking offense at her height requirements.
“Sounds like @AOC is often used to the shorter things in life.” – Steven Cheung
Her remarks have sparked an important debate on where humor fits into the world of politics. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a historian and expert on authoritarianism and restoration. She notes in her talk that humor can be the most dangerous weapon to oppressive regimes.
“Humor has long been one of the most effective weapons of anti-authoritarian politics.” – Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Media Spotlight on Personal Life
Along with his policy ideas and political commentary, Stephen Miller’s personal life has been the subject of media speculation and gossip. Jesse Watters’ show recently featured discussions about Miller’s marriage to Katie Miller, with Watters provocatively questioning what it is like to be married to someone he described as a “sexual matador.” These kinds of comments are part of a larger troubling pattern in the political discourse that pits someone’s identity against their job.
“What is it like being married to such a sexual matador?” – Jesse Watters
As this debate plays out, the impact of such highly personal attacks in the political arena cannot be overstated. Critics of such tactics say they pull focus from real policy debates. They contend that focusing on personal attributes rather than political positions can undermine serious debates about immigration reform and other critical issues.