Susie Wiles describes Trump as having 'an alcoholic's personality' in Vanity Fair interview

In a series of 11 on-the-record interviews with Vanity Fair conducted between January and November 2025, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles characterized President Trump as having 'an alcoholic's personality' despite his well-known abstinence from alcohol. She explained: 'High-functioning alcoholics or alcoholics in general, their personalities are exaggerated when they drink. He has an alcoholic's personality.' The comment appeared in a two-part profile published December 16 that sparked immediate controversy. All interviews were recorded on tape. The characterization from Trump's own Chief of Staff suggested his personality traits—impulsiveness, grandiosity, lack of emotional regulation—mirror those typically associated with addiction disorders, a stunning assessment from the person managing his daily operations and closest to his decision-making process.

"High-functioning alcoholics or alcoholics in general, their personalities are exaggerated when they drink. He has an alcoholic's personality." — Vanity Fair two-part profile based on 11 on-the-record interviews between January 11 and November 5, 2025, published December 16