"We Are Family": Trump Team In Damage Control After Top Aide Susie Wiles' Interview

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles made some explosive claims in a series of interviews with Vanity Fair. Although she criticised the US President and his aides in what she called a "disingenuously framed hit piece", Cabinet officials and other aides have defended her. She did not deny any of the comments that were attributed to her.

Wiles described Donald Trump as an intense figure having "an alcoholic's personality" even though he is a teetotaller. "High-functioning alcoholics, or alcoholics in general, their personalities are exaggerated when they drink," Wiles said, according to Vanity Fair. "And so I'm a little bit of an expert in big personalities."

She also claimed that Trump's determination to achieve retribution against his political enemies, especially those who prosecuted him, "will end before the first 90 days are over".

"We have a loose agreement that the score settling will end before the first 90 days are over," Wiles said early in Trump's second administration, telling Vanity Fair she did try to tamp down Trump's penchant for retribution.

She added that Trump does not care for process and policy details and will go for 'retribution' "when there is an opportunity".

About the Vice President, JD Vance, she said that he has been "a conspiracy theorist for a decade" and that he once compared Trump to Adolf Hitler.

Wiles called Elon Musk, who once led DOGE and was Trump's adviser, an "odd, odd duck" and an "avowed ketamine user". She recalled that his gutting of USAID left her "initially aghast".

She called Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr "quirky Bobby" and White House budget chief Russell Vought "a right-wing absolute zealot".

Sharply criticising Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling of the Epstein case, she said, "I think she completely whiffed on appreciating that that was the very targeted group that cared about this," Wiles said of Bondi. "First she gave them binders full of nothingness. And then she said that the witness list, or the client list, was on her desk. There is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn't on her desk."

After her candid critiques, the White House has come to her defence by releasing statements of support. Here is how Trump allies united in their defence for Susie Wiles:

Susie Wiles' Response

On Tuesday morning, Wiles wrote on X that the article was "a disingenuously framed hit piece on me and the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history."

She added, "Significant context was disregarded and much of what I, and others, said about the team and the President was left out of the story. I assume, after reading it, that this was done to paint an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team."

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.

Significant context was disregarded and much of what I, and others, said about the team and the President was left out of the…

— Susie Wiles (@SusieWiles) December 16, 2025

US President Donald Trump

In an interview with the New York Post, Trump defended Wiles, saying that he indeed does have an "alcoholic's personality" and that he was not offended by her word choice. He also reaffirmed confidence in her role as chief of staff.

"No, she meant that I'm-you see, I don't drink alcohol. 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," he said.

"I've said that many times about myself. 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."

He claimed that he has not read the report but blamed the interviewer for being "misguided". "I think, from what I hear, the facts were wrong, and it was a very misguided interviewer, purposely misguided."

Vice President JD Vance

The Vice President also admitted that he "sometimes" is a conspiracy theorist. "But I only believe in the conspiracy theories that are true - and by the way, Susie and I have joked in private and in public about that for a long time," he told reporters in Pennsylvania.

Vance said, "I believed in the crazy conspiracy theory back in 2020 that it was stupid to mask 3-year-olds at the height of the COVID pandemic and that we should actually let them develop some language skills."

"I believed in this crazy conspiracy theory that the media and the government were covering up the fact that Joe Biden was clearly unable to do the job. And I believed in the conspiracy theory that Joe Biden was trying to throw his political opponents in jail, rather than win an argument against his political opponents," he added.

Attorney General Pam Bondi

Just like Trump, Bondi also supported Wiles by calling her a "dear friend" who "fights every day to advance President Trump's agenda – and she does so with grace, loyalty, and historic effectiveness."

My dear friend @SusieWiles fights every day to advance President Trump's agenda – and she does so with grace, loyalty, and historic effectiveness.

Any attempt to divide this administration will fail.

Any attempt to undermine and downplay President Trump's monumental…

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) December 16, 2025

In a statement on X, she wrote, "Any attempt to divide this administration will fail," adding, "Any attempt to undermine and downplay President Trump's monumental achievements will fail. We are family."

White House Budget Director Russell Vought

Vought, whom Wiles called a "right-wing absolute zealot", wrote on X, "Susie Wiles is an exceptional chief of staff... In my portfolio, she is always an ally in helping me deliver for the president. And this hit piece will not slow us down."

FBI Director Kash Patel

Pael came to Wiles' defence by writing on X that "fake news comes after you when you're effective" and said that there is nobody more "effective" than Susie Wiles on Trump's team.

Fake news comes after you when you're effective… and there's nobody in @realDonaldTrump's team more effective than @SusieWiles

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) December 16, 2025

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt

Leavitt said that Trump "has no greater or more loyal advisor than Susie" and that she has helped him achieve the most successful first 11 months in office of any other president in US history. 

Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has helped President Trump achieve the most successful first 11 months in office of any President in American history.

President Trump has no greater or more loyal advisor than Susie.

The entire Administration is grateful for her steady leadership and… https://t.co/Y3NEXI6a1E

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) December 16, 2025

"The entire administration is grateful for her steady leadership and united fully behind her," she concluded.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy

Kennedy, in a statement on X, wrote that Wiles is the "most perfect" presidential chief of staff in modern American history. He praised her and said that, "She is the first female to occupy that position, but more importantly she is a leader who combines deftness, kindness, and compassion with a maternal toughness and discipline that elevates the entire White House apparatus."

Susie Wiles is arguably the most perfect presidential chief of staff in modern American history. She is the first female to occupy that position, but more importantly she is a leader who combines deftness, kindness, and compassion with a maternal toughness and discipline that… https://t.co/YYmBiSlj1D

— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) December 16, 2025

In his post, he compared Wiles to Trump, writing that both of them understand "how to wield power with purpose".

He compared the Cabinet to an "unusually efficient family" and said that she has earned the trust and respect of Trump's aides. 

Secretary Of War Pete Hegseth

Hegseth, in a scathing post on X, criticised the 'left' for 'trashing and smearing our best and most effective people'.

This is what the Left does: trash & smear our best & most effective people.

They do it to President Trump daily — and now to Chief Susie Wiles.

Susie is the most TRUSTED, most PROFESSIONAL & most EFFECTIVE Chief of Staff of my lifetime. Absolutely nobody better! https://t.co/2w34GZJFuS

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) December 16, 2025

He wrote, "They do it to President Trump daily - and now to Chief Susie Wiles. Susie is the most TRUSTED, most PROFESSIONAL & most EFFECTIVE Chief of Staff of my lifetime. Absolutely nobody better!"