New White House chief of staff Stephen Miller is tightening oversight of Trump administration officials' contacts with special interest groups, with an internal memo circulated to all White House employees on Thursday requiring advance approval from the White House Counsel's Office for policy-related meetings with registered lobbyists on White House grounds.
"White House employees must obtain prior approval from the Counsel's Office for meetings on the White House complex with registered lobbyists on matters related to administration policy," read the memo distributed by the White House Office of Administration, just days after Miller replaced Susie Wiles as chief of staff.
The memo also emphasized that the Office of Public Liaison would continue to serve as the primary point of contact for outside parties.
The new directive comes amid recent allegations concerning the influence of lobbyists and wealthy individuals on the administration during Wiles's tenure, allegations that some of those involved have denied.
The measure does not impose a blanket ban on meetings with lobbyists. Instead, it requires advance approval for meetings concerning administration policy that take place on White House grounds.
Stephen Miller's new role in the Trump White House
It signals a shift in the new leadership's approach to the access special interest groups have to decision-makers within the Trump administration.
In a speech at Mar-a-Lago following the announcement of his appointment, Miller delivered a declaration of almost absolute loyalty to the president.
"If it were not for President Trump, the United States would not exist today. This man saved America," he declared. "He saved our military from collapse, our economy from destruction, and our border from ruin."
Miller then addressed Trump directly.
"It is the greatest honor of my life to be your chief of staff. I pledge to you, Mr. President, my absolute loyalty, my unwavering commitment, and my complete dedication to your success and the success of this country."
Miller now faces a challenge entirely different from those he has encountered throughout his career.
For years, he was the figure who pushed Trump to fulfill his promises, sometimes clashing with other branches and institutions of government in the process.
As chief of staff, Miller will also be required to manage the White House, mediate between cabinet members and senior officials, deal with a Democratic-controlled Congress, and maintain the priorities of a president who is not known for organizational discipline.