A behind-the-scenes moment from a glossy Vanity Fair photo shoot has taken on fresh relevance after a newly published profile of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles triggered sharp reactions across conservative media and within President Trump’s political orbit.
During the carefully staged shoot, a senior administration aide jokingly predicted potential fallout from the session, a remark that now appears oddly prophetic.
“We’re probably all going to lose our jobs over this,” the official joked.
Vice President JD Vance responded confidently, telling the room that his position was secure. “Except for me. I have 100 percent job security,” he said.
Top Trump Officials Appeared in the Photo Session
The shoot brought together several top figures from the Trump administration. According to reporting from the Daily Mail, those involved included Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Wiles, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Deputy Chiefs of Staff James Blair and Dan Scavino, as well as Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller.
JD Vance Keeps the Mood Light
Throughout the session, Vance kept the atmosphere relaxed, trading jokes with photographer Christopher Anderson and poking fun at the idea of political villains being created through lighting and camera angles.
“I’ll give you $100 for every person you make look really s***ty compared to me. And $1,000 if it’s Marco.” He also asked, “Is this the part where you say we’re all evil?”
Blunt Profile Sparks Immediate Controversy
That light tone stood in contrast to the substance of the profile itself, which was built on interviews conducted with Wiles over the course of the past year. In those conversations, the veteran political strategist offered unusually blunt opinions about several high-profile figures in Washington—comments that quickly sparked controversy once published.
Wiles Compares Trump to Her Late Father
Wiles drew comparisons between President Donald Trump and her late father, renowned broadcaster Pat Summerall, describing the president as having a highly driven and consuming personality. She emphasized that Trump operates with an unshakable belief in his own ability to overcome any obstacle.
The remarks drew attention given Trump’s public stance against alcohol, shaped in part by the loss of his brother Fred Trump Jr. to addiction.
Comments on Vance, Vought, and Project 2025
Addressing Vice President Vance, Wiles spoke about his political evolution and suggested he previously embraced fringe theories earlier in his career. She also described budget chief Russell Vought, a key architect of Project 2025, as an uncompromising ideological figure.
Elon Musk Remarks Raise Eyebrows
Wiles further commented on tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, responding to questions about his late-night social media activity.
“I think that’s when he’s micro-dosing.” she said about Elon taking some dr*gs.
While acknowledging she had no evidence, she speculated about possible micro-dosing and referenced Musk’s public statements regarding ketamine use, describing him as unconventional and intensely independent.
“He’s an avowed ketamine [user]. And he sleeps in a sleeping bag in the EOB [Executive Office Building] in the daytime. And he’s an odd, odd duck, as I think geniuses are. You know, it’s not helpful, but he is his own person.”
Epstein Files and Attorney General Criticism
Her remarks also extended to Attorney General Pam Bondi, particularly over how documents related to Jeffrey Epstein were handled and distributed. Wiles dismissed claims about a definitive “client list” and said the materials shared publicly lacked substance.
“First she gave them binders full of nothingness. And then she said that the witness list, or the client list, was on her desk. There is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn’t on her desk,” Wiles stated.
She confirmed that Trump’s name appears in the Epstein files while rejecting accusations involving former President Bill Clinton, stating there is no evidence Clinton ever visited Epstein’s private island.
“There is no evidence,” that Clinton visited Epstein’s island, Wiles said. “The president was wrong about that.”
Trump Defends His Chief of Staff
President Trump later defended Wiles, saying her comments had been misunderstood. He noted that he has openly acknowledged possessing an intense personality and criticized the article’s framing.
“No, she meant that I’m – you see, I don’t drink alcohol. So everybody knows that – but I’ve often said that if I did, I’d have a very good chance of being an alcoholic. I have said that many times about myself, I do. It’s a very possessive personality,” Trump explained.
Trump said he had not read the Vanity Fair piece in full but praised Wiles’ performance as chief of staff, adding that the reporting appeared intentionally misleading.
“I didn’t read it, but I don’t read Vanity Fair – but she’s done a fantastic job,” the president said. “I think from what I hear, the facts were wrong, and it was a very misguided interviewer, purposely misguided.”
White House Pushes Back on Reporting
Press Secretary Leavitt echoed those concerns, accusing the article of stripping comments from their context and selectively omitting information to shape a predetermined narrative.
“This is, unfortunately, another example of disingenuous reporting, where you have a reporter who took the chief of staff’s words wildly out of context, did not include the context those conversations were had within and then further, I think the most egregious part of this article was the bias of omission that was clearly present,” Leavitt said.
JD Vance Publicly Backs Wiles
Vance also publicly defended Wiles during an appearance in Pennsylvania, joking that while he occasionally entertains conspiracy theories, he only believes the accurate ones. He emphasized that Wiles has always acted in line with the president’s direction and authority.
“Sometimes I am a conspiracy theorist, but I only believe in the conspiracy theories that are true,” he claimed. “Susie and I have joked in private and in public about that for a long time.”
“The American people elected the president, not unelected staffers,” Vance said. “And Susie respects that distinction.”
Wiles Responds Directly on Social Media
Wiles addressed the controversy directly in a statement shared on X, calling the article a misleading hit piece. She said significant context was excluded and argued that the portrayal failed to accurately reflect both her views and the administration’s internal dynamics.
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