White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles issued a major rebuke of a recent Vanity Fair article widely condemned by the administration, calling it a “disingenuously framed hit piece” that she said omitted key context and misrepresented her remarks. Her response prompted a wave of public support from senior administration officials, Cabinet members, and members of the Trump family.
Wiles addressed the article in a post on X after the piece, written by Vanity Fair contributor Chris Whipple, was published. She said the article selectively presented quotes and ignored statements from herself and others in order to portray the Trump White House as chaotic and dysfunctional.
“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. She said that significant context was left out of the story and argued that the omissions were intended to create a negative narrative about President Donald Trump and his team.
Wiles slammed the portrayal of the administration, saying the White House had already achieved more in eleven months than any other president had accomplished in eight years. She credited Trump’s leadership and vision for those accomplishments and said criticism would not deter the administration’s agenda.
The Vanity Fair article highlighted several remarks attributed to Wiles, including a quote describing Trump as having “an alcoholic’s personality.” Wiles said the article failed to include the broader context of her remarks, which she said referred to Trump’s confidence and belief that he can accomplish difficult goals. The full quote, included later in the article, expanded on her point about exaggerated personalities and determination.
The article also cited Wiles as calling Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought “a right-wing absolute zealot,” a remark that was not further explained or revisited in the piece. Vought publicly defended Wiles following the article’s release, praising her leadership and saying the White House was functioning better than at any point during Trump’s previous time in office.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also expressed full support for Wiles, writing that the “entire Administration” stands behind her. Leavitt credited Wiles with helping deliver what she described as the most successful first eleven months of any presidency and said Trump has no more loyal adviser.
Donald Trump Jr. issued a lengthy statement defending Wiles, calling her the most effective and trustworthy chief of staff his father has ever had. He praised her loyalty during difficult periods and said she played a critical role in rebuilding Trump’s political operation ahead of the 2024 election. Trump Jr. emphasized that Wiles had consistently worked to execute Trump’s policy agenda without attempting to undermine it and credited her with helping bring Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his supporters into the Trump coalition.
Additional support came from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who described Wiles as an exceptional leader whose work has driven historic achievements for the administration. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon also issued statements praising Wiles’ leadership, loyalty, and effectiveness.
Duffy characterized the Vanity Fair article as an attempt by political opponents to create division within the administration, while McMahon described Wiles as a “force of nature” whose steady judgment has shaped what she called one of the most historic first years of any administration.
The coordinated response underscored the White House’s effort to project unity following the publication of the Vanity Fair article, with senior officials publicly reaffirming their confidence in Wiles and her leadership.
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