Has Trump’s chief of staff revealed White House secrets?

17 snips

Dec 17, 2025

Chris Whipple, investigative journalist and author, dives into the secrets of Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff. They discuss her bold criticisms of Trump, calling him an 'alcoholic's personality', and her views on JD Vance and Elon Musk. Whipple reveals Wiles' intentions behind her Vanity Fair interviews, emphasizing her desire for fair representation. The conversation touches on the dynamics of power within the White House and how these revelations could impact Trump's influence and voter appeal. Expect surprising insights and candid assessments!

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INSIGHT

Chief Of Staff Breaks White House Silence

Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff, gave unusually candid on-the-record interviews to Vanity Fair.
Her comments revealed internal views of Trump and senior aides that were previously private.

INSIGHT

Chief Of Staff Holds Key Control

The chief of staff role is the Oval Office gatekeeper who manages access, schedule and counsel.
That position gives Susie Wiles substantial power over what reaches President Trump.

INSIGHT

Personality Over Substance

Wiles compared Trump's demeanor to an "alcoholic's personality," meaning grandiosity and brashness rather than drinking.
Trump publicly acknowledged a similar self-description after the piece published.

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Susie Wiles is widely credited as being the mastermind behind Donald Trump’s successful presidential campaign last year. The White House Chief of Staff, referred to by the president as the “most powerful woman in the world”, is the gatekeeper to the Oval Office and a crucial figure in delivering Trump’s national agenda.

She also rarely speaks to the media, making her an elusive figure in the president’s top team despite her significant influence. But in a series of interviews for Vanity Fair, she refers to Donald Trump as having an “alcoholic’s personality”, describes JD Vance as a “conspiracy theorist” and Elon Musk as an “odd, odd duck”. The White House has described the articles as a “framed hit piece” and accused Vanity Fair of taking statements out of context.

In today’s podcast, Justin and Anthony go through some of the most revealing lines from the interviews, and speak to the journalist who sat down with Susie Wiles - Chris Whipple - to find out why he thinks Wiles wanted to speak with him, and how he responds to White House criticism of the interviews.

HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 Presenter • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent

GUEST: Chris Whipple, Journalist and author of several White House books, including Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History

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This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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