“Stunning and Dizzying”: Trump’s Chief of Staff Breaks the Silence in Explosive Vanity Fair Interviews

One of the defining features of Donald Trump’s first presidency was internal chaos—staff infighting, public dissent, and extraordinary behind-the-scenes revelations that routinely spilled into public view. Many supporters believed Trump’s second term would be different: tighter discipline, fewer leaks, and a more controlled White House.

That assumption was shaken this week.

Vanity Fair released a sweeping and deeply candid series of 11 interviews with Susie Wiles, President Trump’s chief of staff, offering one of the most revealing portraits yet of Trump 2.0 and the personalities surrounding him. The interviews, conducted by veteran White House chronicler Chris Whipple, landed like a political grenade across Washington.

Even seasoned observers described the revelations as “stunning” and “breathless.”

“Trump Has an Alcoholic’s Personality”

Among the most striking remarks, Wiles described President Trump as having “an alcoholic’s personality.” She clarified that she was not suggesting Trump drinks—he famously does not—but was instead referencing a type of high-functioning, hyper-confident personality that believes nothing is impossible.

Drawing from her personal experience with her father, legendary NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall, Wiles suggested that Trump’s defining trait is an unshakable belief in his own capacity to overcome any obstacle.

Whether the president will appreciate the comparison remains an open question.

Sharp Criticism of Trump’s Inner Circle

Wiles did not limit her candor to the president himself. She offered blunt assessments of several of the administration’s most powerful figures:

JD Vance, the vice president, was described as having undergone a “sort of political” conversion to MAGA after previously being a Never Trumper. Wiles added that Vance has been a “conspiracy theorist for a decade,” drawing a sharp contrast with figures like Marco Rubio, whom she portrayed as having converted to Trumpism out of principle.

Russell Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget and architect of Project 2025, was labeled a “right-wing absolute zealot.”

Elon Musk was described as an “odd duck.” When asked about Musk reposting a tweet comparing public-sector workers to mass killers under totalitarian regimes, Wiles speculated that it may have been influenced by ketamine use—while noting she had no firsthand knowledge. She also said no rational person would have dismantled USAID in the manner Musk did.

Epstein Files and Pam Bondi: “She Completely Whiffed”

Wiles was especially critical of Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of the Epstein files—an issue that has deeply angered parts of Trump’s base.

According to Wiles, Bondi failed to grasp how intensely invested a specific group of supporters was in the issue. She mocked the release of binders filled with “nothingness” and directly contradicted Bondi’s claim that a client list existed.

“There is no client list,” Wiles said bluntly. “And it sure as hell wasn’t on her desk.”

Retribution—or Justice?

Perhaps the most politically consequential revelations concerned Trump’s alleged “retribution tour.”

Wiles acknowledged that early in the term she and Trump had an understanding that score-settling would end within the first 90 days. Asked months later whether that agreement still held, she defended the president, saying his guiding principle was preventing what happened to him from happening to others.

“In some cases, it may look like retribution,” she admitted. “And there may be an element of that from time to time. Who would blame him? Not me.”

When pressed about Trump accusing New York Attorney General Letitia James of mortgage fraud, Wiles conceded that it might indeed qualify as retribution—but added that she had not challenged Trump on that issue, noting James had frozen roughly half a billion dollars of his assets.

Venezuela and a Rare Admission on War Powers

The interviews also contained notable policy revelations. Wiles confirmed that Trump’s aggressive posture toward Venezuela—including recent naval actions—was aimed at pressuring President Nicolás Maduro to step down.

Crucially, she acknowledged that any U.S. land strikes would require congressional authorization, a concession rarely heard from a White House that has otherwise asserted broad executive authority in foreign affairs.

Why This Matters

What stunned Washington most was not just the content of the interviews—but the fact that Wiles herself went on the record.

For months, political insiders had anticipated a major exposé on Susie Wiles’ role as Trump’s most trusted chief of staff. Few imagined she would be the one delivering it. The Vanity Fair photo spread—featuring senior staff posing glamorously in the West Wing—only reinforced the contradiction between Trump’s public disdain for elite media and his private craving for its validation.

As one analyst put it: No one courts media favor like Donald Trump—and his staff follows suit.

Fallout Still Unclear

Whether these revelations will trigger internal backlash remains uncertain. Wiles herself is typically the administration’s enforcer, and Trump is widely seen as needing her stability and discipline. That reality may insulate her—for now.

But the interviews risk alienating powerful figures, particularly Vice President Vance and allies of Musk, Bondi, and Vought. For an administration that has prided itself on reduced turnover compared to Trump’s first term, this moment could mark a turning point.

As one commentator concluded, the series offers a rare glimpse behind the curtain of what another called “the court of the mad king.” Whether it strengthens Trump’s legacy or deepens the fractures within his administration is a question that will soon answer itself.