Susie Wiles, President Trump’s chief of staff, made startlingly candid remarks in a Vanity Fair interview, criticizing Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, describing President Trump as having an 'alcoholic’s personality,' and Vice President JD Vance as a 'calculating conspiracy theorist.' The interviews sent the West Wing into damage control, though Wiles pushed back, calling it a 'hit piece,' and Trump publicly affirmed his confidence in her.
President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, caused a stir in the West Wing with her remarkably candid interviews published in Vanity Fair. Wiles, known for her understated, behind-the-scenes role, offered unvarnished opinions on several key figures and policies. She sharply criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, specifically her distribution of 'binders full of nothingness' to influencers and her claim of a 'client list' that didn't exist. Wiles also described President Trump as having an 'alcoholic’s personality,' a trait she recognized from her father, and characterized Vice President JD Vance as a 'calculating conspiracy theorist.' Beyond personal observations, Wiles appeared to confirm that the administration's bombing campaign off Venezuela was aimed at ousting Nicolás Maduro, contradicting the official line about drug interdiction. She also conceded mistakes in Trump’s tariffs and mass deportation program, and suggested his retribution campaign against political enemies had gone further than she initially desired. The interviews, unprecedented for a sitting chief of staff according to Rahm Emanuel, prompted questions about Wiles's future. However, Wiles herself pushed back, calling the article a 'disingenuously framed hit piece' that lacked context, though she did not dispute any specific details. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed the administration's gratitude for Wiles's leadership, and Trump, despite not having read the piece, called Wiles 'fantastic' and even agreed with her 'alcoholic’s personality' assessment, linking it to his 'possessive and addictive type personality.' Vance also defended Wiles, joking about believing 'conspiracy theories that are true' and advising fewer interviews with mainstream media outlets. Despite the controversy, a senior White House official dismissed the idea of Wiles leaving, stating the administration is accustomed to negative coverage.
