How did Trump react when his chief of staff described him as having the characteristics of an alcoholic?
Dec 17, 2025
Washington [US], December 17: In a newly released interview, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles offered her comments on U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as internal issues within the U.S. administration.
On December 16, Vanity Fair magazine published a series of interviews with Susie Wiles, in which she commented on the personalities of President Trump and Vice President JD Vance .
She suggested that Trump "has the personality of an alcoholic . " She pointed out that Trump doesn't drink alcohol and works with the mindset that "there's nothing he can't do." Wiles also mentioned that growing up in a family with an alcoholic father helped her develop the skills to work with people "with strong personalities."
President Trump responded in The New York Times on December 16th that he had complete confidence in his subordinates. Trump stated that Wiles was correct in saying he had an alcoholic personality and that he was not offended by Wiles's choice of words. The US President explained that he is "possessive and prone to addiction."
"Everyone knows I don't drink alcohol. I often say that if I did, I'd easily become an addict. I've said that many times. It's a highly possessive trait," Trump said.
Susie Wiles also stated that Vice President JD Vance had been a " conspiracy theorist " for years. Vance defended Wiles, saying he admired her consistency and integrity in her work. "I have never seen her disloyal to the president. That makes her the best White House Chief of Staff the president could ever want," Vance said.
He also added that he often jokes with Ms. Wiles about conspiracy theories. "Sometimes I'm a conspiracy theorist, but I only believe in real conspiracy theories," Vance told reporters while in Pennsylvania on December 16th.
According to the interview, Wiles also stated that she had asked President Trump to postpone the tariff decision but was unsuccessful. She reportedly commented that the tariff policy had caused divisions within the White House, adding that the tariff decision was "more serious than I thought."
The interview revealed that Wiles also disagreed with the actions of the U.S. Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) earlier this year, when it dissolved the U.S. Agency for International Development ( USAID ). Wiles also raised concerns about immigration policy, arguing that the process needs careful evaluation given the uncertainties.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Wiles was excellent, and argued that the interview published by Vanity Fair was "biased and omitted information and statements taken out of context."
President Trump said: "From what I've heard, the information in the interview is inaccurate and the interviewer deliberately made false statements."
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper