Vice President JD Vance came to the defense of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles after a Vanity Fair report described internal strains inside the Trump administration. Speaking in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Vance acknowledged that he and Wiles have clashed at times, but said he values what he views as her core qualification: steadfast loyalty to President Donald Trump.
Vance said he has “never seen her be disloyal to the president of the United States,” arguing that the job demands a chief of staff who doesn’t undermine the president privately after offering advice in person.
“I’ve never seen her be disloyal to the president of the United States and that makes her the best White House chief of staff that the president could ask for,” the vice president said. “I’ve never seen Susie Wiles say something to the president and then counteract him or say something behind the scenes.”
Vance also suggested the episode should serve as a cautionary tale about media access, saying he hoped it would result in fewer sit-downs with outlets he described as mainstream.
“I hope that the lesson is we should be giving fewer interviews to mainstream media outlets,” he said.
What Did the Vanity Fair Article Say About JD Vance?
The Vanity Fair article cast Vance as a political convert whose embrace of Donald Trump was fueled more by ambition than conviction. It cited Wiles as describing him as a “conspiracy theorist” and framed his political shift as an exercise in expediency. The story also described broader tensions in the administration, including doubts among some Trump allies about Vance’s motives and reliability.
Vance, asked about the “conspiracy theorist” label, responded with a quip: “Sometimes I am in conspiracy theorist, but I only believe in the conspiracy theories that are true.”
What Did the Piece Say About Donald Trump?
The report portrayed President Trump as leading an administration defined by internal rivalries, loyalty tests, and deep suspicion of the media, while still remaining the central force in decision-making. It described an inner circle highly attuned to Trump’s expectations for public unity, even when private disagreements remain.
According to the article, Wiles was quoted as saying Trump had “an alcoholic’s personality” and that Attorney General Pam Bondi had “completely whiffed” early on in handling the release of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation files.
How Did Susan Wiles Respond to the Article?
Wiles responded forcefully Tuesday after Vanity Fair published the piece, which it said was based on months of conversations in which she spoke candidly about the administration and senior officials.
“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 said in a statement posted to X.
“Significant context was disregarded and much of what I, and others, said about the team and the President was left out of the story. I assume, after reading it, that this was done to paint an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team.”
