‘Hit Piece’ Or Hard Truth? Trump Team Scrambles After Chief Of Staff's Explosive Interview

Last Updated:December 17, 2025, 19:32 IST

In the Vanity Fair interview, Susie Wiles described Donald Trump as having what she termed “an alcoholic’s personality”.

Chief of Staff Susie Wiles offered candid views on senior figures within the Trump administration.

The Donald Trump administration moved swiftly to contain fallout after remarks attributed to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles in a Vanity Fair interview sparked controversy. While Susie Wiles has dismissed the report as a “disingenuously framed hit piece", Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several senior officials have publicly defended her, even as the interview quoted her making blunt character assessments of the US President and key members of his team.

What Did Susie Wiles Say In The Interview?

In the Vanity Fair interview, Susie Wiles described Donald Trump as having what she termed “an alcoholic’s personality", clarifying that she was referring to exaggerated intensity rather than alcohol consumption, noting that Donald Trump is a teetotaller. She also said that Donald Trump’s drive for retribution against political adversaries would “end before the first 90 days" of his second term, while acknowledging that he does not focus on policy processes and could revert to retaliatory instincts “when there is an opportunity".

Susie Wiles also offered candid views on senior figures within the administration. She described JD Vance as a long-time conspiracy theorist, referred to Elon Musk as an “odd, odd duck" and an “avowed ketamine user" and called US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr “quirky Bobby". White House budget director Russell Vought was labelled a “right-wing absolute zealot" while Attorney General Pam Bondi was criticised over her handling of the Epstein case.

How Did Susie Wiles Respond To The Backlash?

Susie Wiles responded on X (formerly Twitter), calling the article a “disingenuously framed hit piece" on herself and “the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history". She said significant context had been omitted, resulting in what she described as an unfairly negative portrayal of the administration.

What Donald Trump Said

Donald Trump publicly backed Susie Wiles in comments to the New York Post, saying he was not offended by her description of his personality and had used similar language about himself in the past. He said he had not read the Vanity Fair article in full but dismissed it as misguided and inaccurate, criticising the interviewer rather than his chief of staff. Donald Trump reaffirmed his confidence in Susie Wiles, indicating no intention to distance himself from her.

JD Vance acknowledged that he has at times embraced conspiracy theories but said he and Susie Wiles had long joked about the label. Attorney General Pam Bondi described Susie Wiles as a “dear friend" and said efforts to divide the administration would fail.

News world ‘Hit Piece’ Or Hard Truth? Trump Team Scrambles After Chief Of Staff's Explosive Interview

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