Vanity Fair writer fires back at Trump administration over claims of Susie Wiles ‘hit piece’: ‘Everything is on tape’
- by The Independent
- Dec 17, 2025
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The Vanity Fair writer who conducted a fiery interview with Susie Wiles has hit back at the White Houseâs accusation that he wrote a âhit pieceâ on the Trump administration.
While writing the unprecedented interview, journalist Chris Whipple met with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles eleven times over eleven months.
Wiles is one of the most important people in Trumpâs orbit and is widely credited with playing a key part in masterminding his return to the White House.
In the piece, Wiles said that Trump had an âalcoholicâs personality,â claimed that JD Vance was a conspiracy theorist, and suggested that Elon Musk was an âavowedâ ketamine user.
open image in gallery
Susie Wiles furiously claimed that her interview with Vanity Fair had been taken out of context
(AP)
Although Wiles has since claimed that the context of her claims had been âdisregarded,â Whipple says that âEverything is on tape.â
âThis was one of those cases as a reporter in your career when lightning strikes, and it was astonishing to me the extent to which she was unguarded and freewheeling on the record all the time,â he told CNNâs Anderson Cooper. âEverything in the article was on the record. I recorded every interview.â
Whipple compared the scandal to Watergate and pointed out that the White House has been unable to dispute any of his claims so far.
âThere isnât a single fact or a single assertion that theyâve challenged in the piece,â he said. âIt really reminds me of the Watergate days when Ben Bradlee talked about non-denial denial. So this is the ultimate non-denial denial.â
Wiles is known for making few public appearances, with Whipple dubbing her the âGreta Garboâ of the second Trump administration.
open image in gallery
The in-depth interview took place over eleven months and gave readers a peek into the chaos behind the scenes in the White House
(Christopher Anderson/Vanity Fair)
However, her interview with Vanity Fair gave an unvarnished look into the behind-the-scenes chaos at the White House.
She alleged that she hit out at Elon Musk for sharing a post that blamed public sector workers for killing millions under Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong. Wiles claimed Musk had shared the post while âmicrodosing.â
Wiles added that the tech CEOâs cuts to USAID left her âaghast,â since she believed it did âvery good work.â
The mastermind behind Ron DeSantisâ successful 2018 gubernatorial run also claimed that there was ânothing, zero, nothingâ that Trump truly believed he could not achieve. She said that was because his personality is exaggerated in the same way a personâs behavior is amplified when drinking alcohol, although Trump does not drink.
In a post on X, Wiles branded the article as a "disingenuously framed hit piece.â
âSignificant context was disregarded and much of what I, and others, said about the team and the President was left out of the story,â Wiles wrote. âI assume, after reading it, that this was done to paint an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team.â
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Chris Whipple has shut down criticism of the interview, pointing out that everything Wiles said is on tape
(CNN)
In a stunning display, Trump rushed to Wiles' defense as her claims about his administration ignited a firestorm on social media.
âI didnât read it, but I donât read Vanity Fair â but sheâs done a fantastic job,â the president told The New York Post. âI think from what I hear, the facts were wrong, and it was a very misguided interviewer, purposely misguided.â
He added that he believed Wiles was âfantasticâ and reiterated that he does not drink alcohol.
âSo everybody knows that â but Iâve often said that if I did, Iâd have a very good chance of being an alcoholic,â he said. âI have said that many times about myself, I do. Itâs a very possessive personality.â
Vance also defended Wiles while speaking to reporters, despite her branding him as a conspiracy theorist.
He claimed that the pair have âjoked in private and in public about that for a long timeâ and claimed that he has not read the article.
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