In a remarkably candid interview, Susie Wiles, the White House Chief of Staff to President Donald Trump, has offered a startling personal assessment of her boss, describing him as possessing an "alcoholic's personality." The revelations came during a wide-ranging discussion with Vanity Fair, where Wiles also detailed a pivotal, late-night confrontation in 2016 that may have altered the course of American political history.
A Personal Comparison and a Family Legacy
Wiles, who describes herself as arguably the closest person to the 79-year-old president, drew upon her difficult childhood to explain her characterisation. Her father was the legendary NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall, a man she knew as both an absentee parent and an alcoholic. She assisted her mother in staging interventions for him, giving her, as she told the magazine, a form of expertise in "big personalities."
She clarified that high-functioning alcoholics often exhibit exaggerated personality traits. Applying this lens to the teetotal president, she said Trump "operates [with] a view that there's nothing he can't do. Nothing, zero, nothing." This claim stands in stark contrast to Trump's own assertion to Fox News in November 2016 that he has "never had a drink," a stance influenced by witnessing his older brother Fred's lifelong struggle with alcoholism.
The Midnight Ultimatum That Saved a Campaign
The interview delved into the origins of their professional relationship, which began in 2015 at Trump Tower. Wiles recalled Trump being "incredulous" to be meeting the daughter of Pat Summerall, noting the president frequently judges people "by their genes." She was later asked to co-chair Trump's Florida leadership team.
However, their partnership nearly imploded in the fall of 2016. At his Miami golf club, after seeing disappointing state polling numbers, Trump "berated" Wiles in front of friends for over an hour. "It was a horrific hour-plus at midnight," Wiles recalled, stating she had never seen him so angry since.
Maintaining her composure, she delivered a blunt ultimatum: "You know Mr. Trump, if you want somebody to set their hair on fire and be crazy, I'm not your girl. But if you want to win this state, I am. It's your choice." She then walked out. The gambit worked. "Lo and behold, he called me every day," she said. Trump went on to win Florida by 49% to Hillary Clinton's 47.8%, a crucial swing-state victory that helped seal his path to the White House.
A Political Path Forged by Rivalry
Wiles's political journey intersected with another Florida heavyweight: Ron DeSantis. After the 2016 election, Trump suggested DeSantis hire her, which he did, leading to DeSantis's gubernatorial victory in 2018. When DeSantis later "soured on her for reasons unknown," Trump rehired her as his 2020 campaign manager.
Reflecting on DeSantis's decision to let her go, Wiles sounded almost grateful, suggesting it changed the trajectory of both men: "Had he said, 'Look, thank you. I appreciate your help. We're done here.' I believe the course of his history would have been different. I might or might not have gone to work for Donald Trump." Her comments paint a picture of a pivotal political operative whose loyalty and tough tactics have left an indelible mark on the modern Republican landscape.
