In a new Vanity Fair interview, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles revealed that President Trump and she had a “loose agreement” to move past score settling after the first 90 days of his second term.
Wiles’ “Loose Agreement”
During a March conversation with Vanity Fair author Chris Whipple, Wiles was asked whether she had ever approached Trump about keeping his presidency from becoming a “retribution tour.” She answered, “Yes, I do,” and added, “We have a loose agreement that the score settling will end before the first 90 days are over.”
The “Retribution” Question
When the topic resurfaced in August, Wiles said Trump was not on a retribution tour. She explained, “A governing principle for him is, ‘I don’t want what happened to me to happen to somebody else.’ And so people that have done bad things need to get out of the government,” and continued, “In some cases, it may look like retribution. And there may be an element of that from time to time. Who would blame him? Not me.”
Asked about New York Attorney General Letitia James, Wiles conceded that the mortgage-fraud allegations “might be the one retribution.” The Justice Department has since tried to bring charges against James, but they were dismissed in November, and a new case has also failed.
The department also brought a case against former FBI Director James Comey, another outspoken critic of Trump, which was likewise dismissed.
“I don’t think he wakes up thinking about retribution,” Wiles said of Trump. “But when there’s an opportunity, he will go for it.”
Trump’s Legal Crossfire
Trump’s own legal troubles are highlighted in the interview. In 2023 he was indicted in multiple cases: Georgia over attempts to overturn the state’s 2020 election results; Washington, D.C., over attempts to stay in power after the 2020 election; Florida over classified-document handling; and New York over hush-money payments. He also faces a civil trial in New York related to his business.
Key Takeaways
- Trump and Wiles agreed to end score settling after 90 days, but attacks may still appear retributive.
- DOJ actions against critics, including James and Comey, have been dismissed.
- Trump’s 2023 indictments span election interference, classified documents, hush money, and a civil business trial.
The interview underscores the tension between Trump’s stated desire to avoid retribution and the continued legal battles that surround him.
