Susie Wiles slams Vanity Fair interview, including Trump ‘alcoholic’s personality’ quote

WASHINGTON - White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles is speaking out against Vanity Fair, claiming the magazine turned her interview into a  "disingenuously framed hit piece" in which she claimed President Donald Trump has an "alcoholic's personality."

What they're saying:

Wiles said in a Vanity Fair interview published Tuesday that members of the Trump administration — including the president himself — believe there is nothing he cannot do.

Wiles told the magazine that President Donald Trump "has an alcoholic’s personality" and "operates with the belief that there’s nothing he can’t do — nothing, zero, nothing." 

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She added, "Some clinical psychologist who knows a million times more than I do might disagree, but high-functioning alcoholics — or alcoholics in general — often exhibit exaggerated versions of their personalities when they drink. And I consider myself something of an expert on big personalities."

Vanity Fair also reported that Wiles described Vice President JD Vance as "a conspiracy theorist for a decade." According to the article, she characterized Vance’s eventual support for Trump — despite earlier criticism — as "sort of political."

Chris Whipple, who wrote the piece and interviewed Wiles, said their conversation about immigration took place in March.

"I will concede that we need to take a closer look at our deportation process," Wiles told Whipple, who said the remark came after the U.S. deported Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador. At the time, the White House said the individuals were members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang living in the U.S. illegally.

"If someone is a known gang member with a criminal history — and you’re certain, and can prove it — then it’s probably reasonable to send them to El Salvador or wherever," Wiles said, according to Whipple. "But if there’s any uncertainty, I think our process should lean toward a double-check."

The other side:

Wiles pushed back on Vanity Fair’s reporting in a post on X on Tuesday.

"The article published early this morning is a disingenuously framed hit piece on me and on the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history," she wrote. "Significant context was ignored, and much of what I — and others — said about the team and the President was omitted. After reading it, I can only assume this was done to create an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, "Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has helped President Trump deliver the most successful first 11 months of any presidency in American history. President Trump has no advisor more loyal than Susie, and the entire administration is grateful for her steady leadership and fully united behind her."

Wiles becomes chief of staff 

The backstory:

Trump picked Wiles to become the chief of staff in 2024.

Wiles is widely credited within and outside Trump’s inner circle for running what was, by far, his most disciplined and well-executed campaign, and was seen as the leading contender for the position. She largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the mic to speak as Trump celebrated his victory early Wednesday morning. She resisted the formal title of campaign manager, avoiding becoming a target, given Trump’s history of cycling through people in that role.

On the campaign, Wiles was able to do what few others have been able to: help control Trump’s impulses — not by chiding him or lecturing, but by earning his respect and showing him that he was better off when he followed her advice than flouting it.

Wiles is a longtime Florida-based Republican strategist who ran Trump’s campaigns in the state in 2016 and 2020, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ successful bid for office in 2018. Before that, she ran Rick Scott’s 2010 campaign for Florida governor and briefly served as the manager of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman’s 2012 presidential campaign.