All autocrats require an ‘architect’. Meet the man pulling the strings for Donald Trump

In a December 30, 2025 analysis, The Conversation identifies Stephen Miller as the chief architect for Donald Trump's second administration, a role Miller reportedly refers to as 'prime minister.' Miller, an unelected and unaccountable strategist, is described as the brains behind Trump's hardline immigration policies and the expansion of presidential power. The piece, part of The Making of an Autocrat podcast series, argues that autocrats like Trump cannot rise to power alone; they require loyalists and masterminds to facilitate their ascent. Trump expert Emma Shortis from RMIT University in Melbourne explains that Miller's influence demonstrates a historical pattern where autocrats depend on architects to wield immense, often unchecked, power behind the scenes.