Early in Donald Trump’s second term, a promise was made—or at least an understanding forged—between the president and his chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The White House, Wiles hoped, would steer away from a relentless campaign of “score settling” against political enemies, wrapping up that chapter within the first 90 days. That did not happen.
In a series of unusually candid interviews with Chris Whipple, soon to be published, Wiles pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of an administration still deeply marked by the president’s pursuit of retribution. She confirms what many have long suspected: prosecutions and legal battles against Trump’s foes are not just policy—they are, in part, acts of personal vengeance.
Yet Wiles resists the notion that Trump wakes each morning fixated on payback. “When there’s an opportunity, he will go for it,” she says, capturing a tension that defines much of the administration’s posture. Retribution isn’t always the agenda, but it’s never far off.
The complexity of Wiles’ role becomes clear as she describes her efforts to curb this impulse—and the limits of her influence. Unlike predecessors who sought to contain or temper Trump’s impulses, she sees her job as facilitating the president’s will, even when she privately doubts some decisions. “If there’s a tie, he wins,” she notes simply.
Her frank assessments extend beyond Trump. She calls Vice President JD Vance a long-time conspiracy theorist turned political ally; labels Elon Musk “an odd, odd duck” whose actions sometimes leave her “aghast”; and describes Attorney General Pam Bondi as having “completely whiffed” the handling of Epstein files. These insights paint a picture of a White House steeped in contradiction, where fierce loyalty and chaos coexist.
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Wiles’ reflections on Trump’s “score settling” bring the personal and political into sharp relief. She recounts advising the president to end the vendettas early, yet acknowledges the campaign against figures like New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey continues, despite legal setbacks. The pursuit blurs lines between justice and retaliation, raising questions about governance when personal grievance seeps into policy.
Her observations also touch on broader themes: the erosion of boundaries in politics, the personalization of power, and the fragile balance between enabling a leader and restraining excess. The administration’s internal debates over tariffs, immigration, and foreign policy reveal a team grappling with competing impulses—discipline versus disruption, principle versus expediency.
Wiles herself embodies these tensions. A seasoned political strategist from Florida, she grew up around big personalities and knows how to navigate them. She describes Trump’s mindset as that of “an alcoholic’s personality,” driven by a boundless sense of possibility and defiance of limits, even as he abstains from drinking himself.
At times, her role feels like walking a tightrope, negotiating between ambition and chaos, loyalty and conscience. She wants the president focused on his agenda, but also accepts the slower pace of the justice system as score settling drags on. Her presence is a reminder that power is often shaped by those who manage it quietly behind the scenes—not just by those who wield it loudly.
In the end, Wiles’ story is a window into the shadows where personal grudges meet public policy, and where the future of a presidency is negotiated in whispers, deals, and reluctant compromises. It’s a portrait of a political ecosystem that thrives on both discipline and disorder, shaped by one man’s complex personality and those who navigate its consequences.
What happens when the boundary between governance and vendetta blurs? When score settling becomes an ongoing project rather than a closed chapter? And who truly holds the reins when loyalty sometimes means enabling excess?
The answers lie not only in headlines but in these quieter reckonings.
