“Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, has found herself at the center of a storm after a series of 11 on-record interviews with Vanity Fair, in which she offered blunt assessments of key figures and admitted controversial views about President Trump, Elon Musk, and Venezuela.”
## Wiles at the Center of the Story
Wiles, nicknamed the “ice maiden” for her calm demeanor, is a loyal operator who has worked behind the scenes for years. She played a pivotal role in Trump’s 2016 campaign, leading the effort that secured Florida, and later headed his 2024 operation while the former president was in the political wilderness. The controversy erupted when the Vanity Fair piece drew on her admissions about Attorney General Pam Bondi, Vice President Mike Pence, and Musk’s actions at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
## Mulvaney Defends Wiles
Mick Mulvaney, who served as Trump’s acting chief of staff for more than a year, publicly defended Wiles. “First things first: In no way is her job in danger. All indications are that she is doing a tremendous job, and everyone likes her, including the president. Plus, there doesn’t seem to be anyone angling to get rid of her. So, she absolutely stays as chief. And should,” he said. Mulvaney added, “Was it a mistake to sit down for 11 on-the-record interviews with a Trump-hating outfit like Vanity Fair? Absolutely,” and noted that the move was far from fatal.
## White House and Allies Rally Behind Wiles
The White House and its allies moved in unison to defend Wiles, even issuing statements that echoed her own words. Vice President Mike Pence, whom Wiles described as a “conspiracy theorist for a decade,” praised her loyalty: “I’ve seen so many people who will say one thing to the president’s face – Democrats and Republicans – and then will do the exact opposite behind the scenes. And you know why I really love Susie Wiles? Because Susie is who she is in the president’s presence, she’s the same exact person when the president isn’t around,” he said during a Pennsylvania event. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who Wiles had accused of “whiffing” in handling Jeffrey Epstein documents, posted on X, calling Wiles her “dear friend” and adding, “Any attempt to undermine and downplay President Trump’s monumental achievements will fail. We are family. We are united.” Press secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted the “groundswell of support” for Wiles, stating, “[Trump has] been able to accomplish so much because of his leadership and his tenacity, but also because of chief of staff Wiles leadership and her ability to effectuate his agenda.”
## Wiles’ Admissions to Vanity Fair
In the interviews, Wiles revealed several controversial positions. She described Elon Musk as an “odd, odd duck” and an “avowed ketamine” user, and said she was “initially aghast” at Musk’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Wiles also spoke of a “loose agreement” with Trump that the president would move on from settling scores with rivals after 90 days in office. She acknowledged that Trump’s push to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James might be “the one” case of outright retribution. The chief of staff highlighted a “huge disagreement” over whether Trump’s April rollout of sweeping tariffs on other nations was a good idea, and she said Trump’s plan for Venezuela was to continue targeting alleged drug boats “until [Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro cries uncle.”
## Trump’s Response and Wiles’ Own Defense
President Trump told the New York Post that he had not read the Vanity Fair article, but praised Wiles for doing a “fantastic job.” Wiles, in turn, described Trump to the magazine as having an “alcoholic’s personality,” a characterization Trump said he did not disagree with. After the story broke, Wiles posted on X for the first time since October 2024, calling the piece a “disingenuously framed hit piece” that left out “significant context.” She added, “I assume, after reading it, that this was done to paint an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team.”
## Coordinated Cabinet Response
The White House launched a coordinated response to the Vanity Fair piece. Practically every cabinet official issued statements praising Wiles and accusing the outlet of attempting to distract from the president’s agenda. The response came despite the fact that Wiles was one of several top-level White House officials who had participated in a Vanity Fair photo shoot and spoken with author Chris Whipple over the course of the year. Other officials involved in that photo shoot included Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, deputy chiefs of staff James Blair and Stephen Miller, and press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
## Key Takeaways
– Susie Wiles remains in her role as chief of staff despite the Vanity Fair controversy.
– Wiles admitted controversial views on Musk, tariffs, and Venezuela, sparking a defense from Trump and allies.
– The White House coordinated a unified response, praising Wiles and criticizing the magazine.
The controversy underscores the fragile balance between a president’s public image and the candid remarks of his senior staff, with Wiles standing firm amid the political storm.
