One year into his historic second term, the question of who, if anyone, can manage Donald Trump's volatile personality has never been more urgent. The incident was over in seconds. During a carefully staged visit to a Ford factory in Dearborn, Michigan, an auto worker's shouted accusation prompted an immediate, crude gesture from the President. The White House later called it an "appropriate and unambiguous response."
For those watching, it was a familiar spectacle. But for one figure standing inconspicuously among the entourage, it may have been a wearying case of history repeating. That figure is Susie Wiles, the 68-year-old White House Chief of Staff and the architect of Trump's successful Florida campaign strategy.
The Enigmatic Gatekeeper: Loyalist or Realist?
Wiles has long been viewed as the ultimate insider, a figure of tactical silence capable of tethering the President to reality. Yet her reputation for discretion was recently shattered by a remarkably candid interview in Vanity Fair. In it, she characterised Vice President JD Vance as a "conspiracy theorist," labelled Elon Musk a ketamine user, and suggested Trump possessed an "alcoholic's personality."
Despite attempts to walk back her comments, the journalist stood by the story. More revealing was Trump's reaction. Instead of firing her, he defended her, telling The New York Post, "She's done a fantastic job." This underscored Wiles's unique and seemingly unassailable position: she can speak hard truths and remain indispensable.
Described as a cake-baking, bird-watching grandmother with "Southern grandmotherly kindness," Wiles is also known for her ironclad professional boundaries. "Susie does not f*** around," said Florida political publisher Peter Schorsch. "If you try to promote yourself, flimflam, or you're not honest... Susie will knife you herself."
A Psychiatrist's Stark Warning
The central puzzle of Wiles's role takes on a darker tone when viewed through a psychiatric lens. Dr Bandy X. Lee, a social psychiatrist and former Yale professor, has long warned that Trump's mental state poses a clear danger. She was the editor of the controversial bestseller The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, which featured warnings from dozens of mental health experts.
Lee argues that professionals have a duty to protect public safety, even without directly examining a subject. "We basically allowed him to balloon in his expectations by giving him unlimited power," Lee states. "That is always very dangerous because reality never meets expectations, and he will always be angrier, more enraged, and more paranoid."
She points out that while the CIA profiles foreign leaders, America does not apply the same scrutiny to its own. The agency's profiling division, founded by Jerrold Post—who contributed to Lee's book—successfully informed the Camp David Accords. Post's analysis suggests Trump is "developmentally wounded," seeking parental figures, drawn to strong men, and disparaging women while simultaneously looking for a mother figure.
Can the 'Trump Whisperer' Succeed Where Others Failed?
This analysis raises a critical question about Susie Wiles. As an older, experienced woman who exerts quiet authority, does she fit the role of a maternal figure Trump might heed? Lee believes Wiles would need "robust psychological health" to resist manipulation and avoid "Trump contagion," where a leader's pathological worldview spreads to those around them.
Wiles's predecessor, retired General John Kelly, failed in his mission to impose discipline. After a spectacular falling out, Kelly became an outspoken critic, calling Trump a "fascist" and warning he was unfit to serve. Lee suggests Wiles could bolster her efforts by consulting mental health experts to better understand how to manage Trump's behaviour, noting Kelly reportedly used her book as a guide.
As Trump's actions, including those threatening NATO's foundations, create global instability, the pressure on Wiles intensifies. Lee sees her not just as a gatekeeper but as a figure with the unique capacity to "lead, activate, or encourage any path toward reining in a dangerous person."
Yet, as she drove away from the Ford plant after the latest outburst, the most realistic assessment may be the bleakest. Susie Wiles, for all her savvy and singular standing, likely knows she cannot change the nature of the man she serves. Her historic role as the first female White House Chief of Staff may be confined to one task alone: managing the fallout.
