President Donald Trump stood by White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on December 16, 2025, despite bombshell revelations in a series of interviews she gave to Vanity Fair that exposed internal tensions and offered frank assessments of key administration figures.
In 11 interviews conducted over a year, Wiles described Trump as having an alcoholic’s personality, called Vice President JD Vance a conspiracy theorist for a decade, labeled Office of Management and Budget chief Russell Vought a right-wing absolute zealot, and characterized tech billionaire Elon Musk as an odd duck.
Trump told reporters he had not read the Vanity Fair article but expressed complete confidence in Wiles. When asked about her characterization of him as having an alcoholic’s personality, Trump agreed with the assessment, according to NBC News.
Wiles, who rarely grants public interviews, called the Vanity Fair profile a disingenuously framed hit piece. She wrote on social media that significant context was disregarded and much of what she and others said about the team and the president was left out of the story.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Wiles in a statement, saying Trump has no greater or more loyal advisor than Wiles.
The interviews revealed candid views on retribution against Trump’s perceived enemies. When asked about accusations of mortgage fraud against New York Attorney General Letitia James, Wiles said that might be the one retribution. She added that when there’s an opportunity for retribution, Trump will go for it.
A federal judge dismissed indictments against James and former FBI Director James Comey after finding the prosecutor who pursued both cases had been unlawfully appointed.
Wiles told Vanity Fair that Trump is not on a retribution tour, but acknowledged an element of payback at times. She defended the president’s actions by saying that people who have done bad things need to leave government.
The profile also addressed the administration’s handling of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Wiles said Trump is in the Epstein file but not doing anything awful. She criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi for giving binders full of nothingness.
Regarding Ukraine policy, Wiles revealed that Trump believes Putin wants the whole country of Ukraine, despite the administration’s efforts to broker a peace deal. The comment offers insight into the president’s private views on Russian intentions.
Vance came to Wiles’ defense during a speech in Pennsylvania, saying he and the chief of staff have joked in private and in public about conspiracy theories, according to Al Jazeera.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Wiles in earlier interviews, calling her bond with Trump an earned trust.
The Vanity Fair interviews took place throughout the year, including conversations on January 11, 2025, and November 4, 2025. Writer Chris Whipple conducted the sessions.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also defended Wiles on social media, writing that there is absolutely nobody better. The unified response from Trump’s inner circle demonstrated efforts to contain potential fallout from the revelations.
Wiles spoke on a range of sensitive topics during the interviews, including her assessment of administration personnel and Trump’s decision-making style.
The controversy highlights the unusual access granted by the White House chief of staff. Unlike previous chiefs of staff who typically maintain strict message discipline, Wiles answered almost every question put to her during the year-long interview process.
Leavitt accused Vanity Fair of bias of omission in its reporting, though the magazine published two lengthy articles totaling thousands of words based on the extensive interview sessions.
The revelations come at a pivotal moment for the administration, with allies expressing surprise at some of Wiles’ candid assessments. Her description of key figures and acknowledgment of Trump’s retributive instincts provided rare public insight into White House dynamics.
The White House has not announced any changes to staff positions following the publication of the interviews. Wiles continues to serve as chief of staff, managing the president’s daily schedule and access to the Oval Office.
