Stephen Miller’s Influence and Controversies

Stephen Miller, a long-time aide to President Donald Trump, is often viewed through a contentious lens. His biographer, Jean Guerrero, labeled him a “sadist” on MS NOW after he was appointed White House chief of staff. Guerrero, author of Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump, and the White Nationalist Agenda, stated Miller takes enjoyment in causing suffering. He reportedly holds a particular disdain for citizens who defend immigrants.

Association with Controversial Literature

Guerrero connects Miller’s ideology to The Camp of the Saints, a 1973 French novel by Jean Raspail. The book paints a dystopian picture of Indian migrants overtaking a French town, igniting fears tied to white nationalism. In 2019, emails from Miller to Breitbart News revealed his promotion of the book. Erin Wilson, from the Southern Poverty Law Center, highlights how extremist groups view it as a guide on the “great replacement” theory.

Even Julia Hahn, a former assistant to Trump, shared related viewpoints in a Breitbart article comparing the novel’s message to Pope Francis’s pro-migrant stance. Figures like Steve Bannon and Marine Le Pen have praised the book, with Le Pen acknowledging its lasting impact on her views.

The Book’s Argument

Chelsea Stieber, a literature expert from Tulane University, criticizes the novel for its dehumanizing portrayal of immigrants. She describes its rhetoric as dangerous, presenting pro-immigration figures as naive. Raspail’s afterword in the 1982 edition claims immigration issues are unsolvable by current moral standards, displaying a zero-sum perspective.

Stieber doubts Miller’s thorough reading of The Camp of the Saints, suggesting it’s used as a cultural reference in far-right circles rather than a literal guide.

Sadism and Public Persona

To explore the sadist label, HuffPost consulted researchers like Daniel Jones of the University of Nevada and Erin Buckels of the University of Winnipeg. They provide insight into the psychological makeup behind sadism but refrain from diagnosing Miller. The dark tetrad traits, including narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy, align with sadism, driven by a desire to see others suffer.

Buckels points out the complexity of determining sadism from external behavior without firm indicators to link it to policy or statements. She emphasizes detecting patterns but acknowledges the difficulty in pinpointing motivations behind someone’s actions.