Ex-Trump aide Katie Miller joins Elon Musk’s xAI after leaving White House

On Wednesday night, Elon Musk’s AI company xAI sent a rare email to reporters. The email said xAI got a permit to use gas-powered turbines at its Memphis data center, despite local protests about pollution, as per the reports.

xAI usually doesn’t talk to the media. Musk ended all PR teams at his companies years ago, and they now only post on social media. Even when reporters ask questions, like from Fortune, xAI usually ignores them, as per the report by Fortune.

Katie Miller now works with Elon Musk

This time, the email came from Katie Miller, wife of Stephen Miller, who was Trump’s deputy chief of staff. Katie Miller worked as a communications manager and political adviser in the Trump White House and Department of Government Efficiency.


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Trump’s former press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Katie was a key person who helped get the DOGE initiative running. Katie left the White House in May to work full-time for Elon Musk, including at xAI, as reported by CNN.

Neither Katie nor Stephen Miller have publicly spoken about why she left Trump’s team or her work with Musk. Her departure raised questions because Stephen stayed with Trump, while Katie joined Musk, who is now fighting with Trump politically, as stated by the reports.

Trump and Musk now disagree

Since then, Musk said he might create a new political party, and Trump hinted he might go after Musk’s companies or even deport him. Katie is now clearly working with xAI. The email came from her xAI address, and her X account now shares xAI updates, plus Tesla news and media criticism, as per the report by Fortune.

In her email, Katie gave info about pollution checks done at xAI’s Memphis site and included a statement from xAI. The statement said xAI's new power system will have top-level emissions control tech, making it the cleanest data center of its kind in the U.S, as per the report.

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She said xAI wants to be a “valued partner to the Memphis community.” Katie also sent a second email in late June, sharing a third-party pollution study that showed no dangerous pollution near the Memphis data center, according to the report by Fortune.

When Fortune asked Katie about her exact role at xAI or if she works at other Musk companies like Tesla or SpaceX, she did not reply, as per reports.

FAQs

Q1. Who is Katie Miller and why is she working with Elon Musk?
Katie Miller is a former Trump aide who now works at Elon Musk’s xAI, handling media and communications.

Q2. What is the controversy around xAI’s Memphis data center?
xAI got a permit to use gas turbines in Memphis, but locals are worried about pollution from the site.