Trump backs chief of staff after Wiles’ shock comments
US President Donald Trump has publicly backed his White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, after a series of interviews published by Vanity Fair revealed internal tensions within his administration and sparked widespread political reaction.
Speaking to the New York Post, Trump said he had full confidence in Wiles, describing her as having “done a fantastic job” and once again calling her “the most powerful woman in the world,” News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
The comments came after Vanity Fair published two articles based on interviews with Wiles, in which she offered candid — and at times controversial — assessments of key figures in Trump’s second administration, as well as insight into Trump’s personality and foreign policy views.
In the interviews, Wiles described Trump, who does not drink alcohol, as having “an alcoholic’s personality,” saying her upbringing with an alcoholic father helped prepare her to manage strong personalities.
Trump defended the remark, saying he had often made similar observations about himself.
“It’s a very possessive personality,” he said, adding that if he drank alcohol, he might indeed be an alcoholic.
Wiles also commented on the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, suggesting Attorney General Pam Bondi failed to properly gauge public expectations. She said Vice President JD Vance better understood the issue’s importance, calling him “a conspiracy theorist” — a label Vance later dismissed jokingly.
According to Vanity Fair, Wiles also referred to tech billionaire Elon Musk as an “odd, odd duck” and described Russ Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget, as a “right-wing absolute zealot.”
On Epstein, Wiles acknowledged Trump’s name appears in the files but said they do not show him doing “anything awful.”
Wiles said Trump believes Russian President Vladimir Putin ultimately wants control of all of Ukraine, despite ongoing US efforts to push for a peace deal.
She also claimed Trump supports continuing air strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats off Venezuela’s coast until President Nicolas Maduro backs down.
Wiles rejected the Vanity Fair coverage, calling it a “disingenuously framed hit piece” that selectively quoted her remarks. Several senior officials rushed to her defense.
Vance said he had never seen Wiles act disloyally, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised her leadership. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also backed Wiles, calling her “absolutely nobody better.”
Despite the controversy, Trump made clear that Wiles remains firmly in his corner, signaling stability at the top of his administration amid growing scrutiny.
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