Vanity Fair Trump Spread Draws Praise For Showing Power Figures at Their 'Worst'

In a series of raw, unguarded, on-the-record interviews, Vanity Fair has published a portrait of President Donald Trump's inner circle that has reverberated across Washington for its unparalleled candour and stark depiction of power at work.

The high-profile piece, centred on White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, has sparked widespread discussion for its unvarnished assessments of the president's leadership style and the personalities shaping his second term, prompting reactions across political fault lines.

Unprecedented Access Pulls Back the Curtain on Trump's Inner Circle

The Vanity Fair feature, written by Chris Whipple, is based on extensive, on-the-record interviews with Susie Wiles, a veteran GOP operative and one of the most powerful aides in President Donald Trump's White House.

Wiles, described in the article as a central figure in executing the president's agenda, was unusually candid in her assessments of senior figures within the administration. According to the piece, she characterised Vice President JD Vance as having 'been a conspiracy theorist for a decade' and described Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought as 'a right-wing absolute zealot'.

In one of the most striking remarks quoted directly, Wiles said Trump has 'an alcoholic's personality', a conclusion she drew from her personal experience with her late father, the sportscaster Pat Summerall. Trump, a teetotaller, is not known to drink, but Wiles used the comparison to describe his larger-than-life persona.

The article also recounts her views on controversial policy decisions, including the elimination of the US Agency for International Development under Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, which Wiles said left her 'initially aghast'.

Such detailed critique, drawn from hours of interviews conducted in and around the White House, is rare. Most senior aides avoid offering on-the-record assessments of colleagues or of the president himself.

Reactions From the White House and the Political Sphere

The publication of the Vanity Fair interviews sent shockwaves through Washington, with critics and supporters alike weighing in on the far-reaching implications of Wiles's candour.

Trump and senior White House officials publicly rallied behind Wiles following publication. In a separate interview with the New York Post, Trump said he was not offended by Wiles's remarks about his personality, instead describing himself as having a 'possessive and addictive type personality' and dismissing any suggestion that he had taken personal offence.

Wiles later took to social media to dismiss the Vanity Fair article as a 'disingenuously framed hit piece', arguing that 'significant context ... was left out' and that the narrative presented was 'overwhelmingly chaotic and negative'. She did not dispute the facts as reported, instead taking issue with their framing.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Wiles as the president's most loyal adviser, with other senior administration figures echoing the sentiment while distancing themselves from the tone of some of the coverage.

Outside the White House, analysts said the piece offered a rare glimpse into the mechanics of presidential power and the personalities shaping it. Politico's energy team reported senior figures praising Wiles on social media for her leadership, even as other outlets described the profile as unflinchingly revealing.

The Broader Political Context

The Vanity Fair interviews illuminate deeper tensions in the current US administration, particularly around the balance between loyalty and accountability. Wiles expressed that her efforts to moderate Trump's approach, for example on punitive actions against perceived enemies, had not always succeeded. She acknowledged a 'loose agreement' with the president early in his term to avoid prolonged 'score settling' after the first 90 days, but later conceded that the priority had shifted.

Her commentary on strategic decisions also shed light on high-stakes foreign-policy actions. In discussing US military operations against vessels alleged to be involved in drug trafficking near Venezuela, she acknowledged Trump's assertion that operations would continue 'until Maduro cries uncle', despite public messaging framing these actions as strictly anti-drug.

Moreover, the interviews touched on highly sensitive historical matters, such as the release of materials related to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Wiles confirmed that Trump's name appears in Epstein flight manifests but defended him against claims of wrongdoing, describing their interactions as those of 'young, single playboys together'.

These personal reflections from Wiles, often blunt and surprising, are a significant departure from the traditionally guarded tone of White House aides, offering a rare view into how those closest to the president perceive him and his team.