Trump defends Wiles while confirming he has 'addictive type personality'
Hours after the Vanity Fair profile was published, Trump gave an interview to the New York Post defending Susie Wiles while essentially validating her 'alcoholic's personality' characterization. He stated he hadn't read the article but called Wiles 'fantastic' and confirmed: 'I've often said that if I did [drink], I'd have a very good chance of being an alcoholic. I've said that many times about myself.' He described himself as having a 'possessive and addictive type personality,' agreeing with Wiles' psychological assessment while simultaneously dismissing the profile as containing 'wrong' facts from a 'very misguided interviewer, purposely misguided.' The response demonstrated Trump's pattern of defending loyalists while attacking media coverage, even when the coverage accurately quotes his own staff and he agrees with the substance of their comments.
“I've often said that if I did [drink], I'd have a very good chance of being an alcoholic... possessive and addictive type personality.” — New York Post interview defending Wiles, December 16, 2025
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryTrump's response is characteristic: defend the person, attack the outlet, confirm the substance. By agreeing he has an 'addictive type personality' while calling the interviewer 'misguided,' he validates Wiles' assessment while attempting to discredit the broader profile. The admission that he would 'have a very good chance of being an alcoholic' if he drank is a rare moment of self-awareness, though framed as a defense of his Chief of Staff.