WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump backed his chief of staff on Tuesday amid heavy backlash, sharing in an interview that he’s not offended by Susie Wiles’ remarks to Vanity Fair about his administration.
The president spoke exclusively with the New York Post’s Steven Nelson about a controversial Vanity Fair story on his administration, one which quoted Wiles saying that Trump has “an alcoholic’s personality.”
Vanity Fair’s story is written by Chris Whipple, who later elaborated that Wiles was comparing Trump’s aggression and strong personality to that of an alcoholic whose personality is “exaggerated when they drink. Wiles allegedly explained to Whipple that Trump, who is sober, “operates [with] a view that there’s nothing he can’t do. Nothing, zero, nothing.”
On Tuesday, Trump told the New York Post that he does have a “possessive personality” and emphasized how much he values Wiles.
“No, she meant that I’m — you see, I don’t drink alcohol,” he explained. “So everybody knows that — but I’ve often said that if I did, I’d have a very good chance of being an alcoholic. I have said that many times about myself, I do. It’s a very possessive personality.”
“I’ve said that many times about myself,” he continued. “I’m fortunate I’m not a drinker. If I did, I could very well, because I’ve said that — what’s the word? Not possessive — possessive and addictive type personality. Oh, I’ve said it many times, many times before.”
Wiles herself accused Vanity Fair of framing the piece in a dishonest manner.
“The article published early this morning is a disingenuously framed hit piece on me and the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history,” Wiles wrote Tuesday. “Significant context was disregarded and much of what I, and others, said about the team and the President was left out of the story.”
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“I assume, after reading it, that this was done to paint an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team,” Wiles added. “The truth is the Trump White House has already accomplished more in eleven months than any other President has accomplished in eight years and that is due to the unmatched leadership and vision of President Trump, for whom I have been honored to work for the better part of a decade. None of this will stop our relentless pursuit of Making America Great Again!”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and many other members of the Trump administration were quick to defend Wiles, issuing statements on “X” praising Wiles for her work in the second Trump administration.
“Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has helped President Trump achieve the most successful first 11 months in office of any President in American history,” Leavitt wrote. “President Trump has no greater or more loyal advisor than Susie. The entire Administration is grateful for her steady leadership and united fully behind her.”
Donald Trump Jr. similarly issued a lengthy statement of support, writing: “Susie Wiles is by far the most effective and trustworthy Chief of Staff that my father has ever had.”
Trump Jr. wrote that Wiles took over his father’s political operations after January 6, 2021, when most of the GOP was treating the president like a “pariah.”
“Countless operatives, consultants and elected Republicans thought my dad’s political career was over and wanted nothing to do with him,” he added.
“They attacked him ruthlessly and predicted that he would lose if he ran for office in 2024. Not Susie. She was a loyal fighter for him from the moment she came on board. When things were tough and other supposed friends left my dad like a bunch of rats, Susie stood by his side and worked her ass off everyday to rebuild his political operation and ensure that his comeback in 2024 would be successful. When others cowered, she stood strong. One of the other things I’ve always appreciated about Susie is how she has never tried to subvert my father’s America First policy agenda. She is an honest broker who only cares about executing my dad’s wishes on policy – Which is much different than how things were in his first term when countless staffers thought it was there job to ‘rein in’ Trump.”
Trump Jr. specifically praised Wiles for her work securing the border, helping keep America out of “endless wars,” reigning in the “leftist administrative state,” and more, calling her a “gigantic ally to the entire America First movement.”
“Most people don’t know that Susie was also the person I worked closest with on the 2024 campaign to bring RFK JR. and the MAHA movement on board,” he added. “While others were skeptical of MAHA, Susie immediately got it and has been one of its biggest advocates in the entire Administration. She doesn’t talk much about any of this stuff because she doesn’t like to take credit for things (another rarity in DC!) but I have seen it with my own eyes behind the scenes for years now.”
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