A bombshell magazine profile of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has sent tremors through Washington, quoting her giving unflattering assessments of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and other senior officials before she quickly moved to contain the fallout.

The article, published in Vanity Fair, paints a picture of a turbulent West Wing and has raised immediate questions about the internal dynamics of the new Trump administration. Wiles, the first woman in history to hold the chief of staff role, is a veteran political operative known for preferring to work behind the scenes.

In a series of nearly a dozen interviews, Wiles was quoted describing President Trump, a famous teetotaler, as possessing an "alcoholic's personality"—a remark she linked to his belief that "there's nothing he can't do." The profile also quotes her labeling Vice President JD Vance as having been a "conspiracy theorist for a decade."

Internal Tensions or Media Misplay?

In a swift response on the social media platform X, Wiles slammed the story as a "disingenuously framed hit piece." She contended that Vanity Fair disregarded "significant context" to weave "an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative" about the administration. Notably, her denial did not challenge the accuracy of the direct quotes attributed to her.

President Trump defended his top aide, telling the New York Post that Wiles is "fantastic" and suggesting she had been "deceived" by the writer. Trump also noted that Wiles's comments about his personality echoed remarks he has previously made about himself.

The profile covered a wide range of sensitive topics, from the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files to the administration's legal pursuits against political rivals. Wiles reportedly admitted there "may be an element of" retribution in the push for criminal cases against perceived foes, a candid admission that adds another layer to the controversy.

This incident places a spotlight on the immense pressure within the new administration as it seeks to project an image of disciplined control. The disconnect between the on-the-record remarks and the subsequent public relations cleanup highlights the ongoing battle to manage the White House's narrative, leaving observers to question whether this reveals deep internal fractures or a calculated media strategy gone awry.