A lengthy Vanity Fair article sheds light on the key role of Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, who is described as the only person who can channel President Donald Trump's impulsive decisions in his second term.
Wiles, a veteran Republican strategist and architect of Trump's victory, emerges as the most influential figure in the administration, more so than Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio or Stephen Miller. She does not control Trump, but facilitates and implements his vision, often managing major crises behind the scenes.
Vanity Fair writes about a tumultuous year of the Trump presidency with:
– extreme expansion of presidential power,
– war on drug cartels,
– closure of the southern border,
– attacks on the media, universities and political opponents,
– mass pardons for those convicted of January 6,
– and accusations of serious human rights violations
One of the most intense clashes has been with Elon Musk, who led the dissolution of USAID and suspended vital humanitarian programs, including PEPFAR for HIV/AIDS. Wiles herself admits that she was "shocked" and forced to intervene to limit the damage, while Trump, she says, does not go into such details.
Wiles describes Trump as a man with an "alcoholic personality" who is convinced there is nothing he cannot do. She has a relationship built on earned trust and is the only one she can talk to directly, even when she disagrees with him.
However, the main question Vanity Fair asks remains:
Will Susie Wiles ever stop Donald Trump, or will she just help him go even further?
In the analysis, the answer is left open, but something becomes clear: in the White House, real power passes through Susie Wiles.
Susie Wiles and Trump's second term
In the second part of the article, Vanity Fair describes how Susie Wiles has helped Donald Trump build an extremely ideological cabinet, filled with figures that critics see as among the most unprepared in American history.
Among the key names are:
– Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War (former Defense),
– Kash Patel, Director of the FBI,
– John Ratcliffe, Director of the CIA,
– Pam Bondi, Attorney General,
– Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence,
– Kristi Noem, Head of Homeland Security.
Wiles calls them a “world-class cabinet,” chosen to confront what she sees as the “deep state,” particularly the military-industrial complex.
Mass deportations and mistakes…
In March 2025, after activating the Alien Enemies Act, the Trump administration deported hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants to a notorious prison in El Salvador, despite court orders. Many of them had no criminal records, and at least one was deported in error.
Wiles acknowledged that the process had serious flaws, but defended the hard line: only questionable cases, she said, should be reviewed. However, she was unable to explain cases like the one in Louisiana, where two mothers were deported along with their American citizen children, including a 4-year-old with terminal cancer.
Trade war and economic chaos
In April, Trump declared "Liberation Day" and imposed massive tariffs on trading partners, calling it an economic victory, even though the real impact was on American consumers.
Wiles admits the process was chaotic and that advisers were deeply divided. She tried to slow the president down, but to no avail. The tariffs caused panic in the markets, a stock market crash, and the public mockery of “TACO – Trump Always Chickens Out,” after Trump temporarily backed down.
According to a Harvard poll, 56% of Americans think Trump's tariffs have hurt the economy.
National Guard in cities
Over the summer, Trump sent the National Guard to several Democratic-led cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, declaring a criminal emergency.
Wiles defended the decision as a "vitamin boost" for order and security, but critics called it illegal and a threat to democracy.
When asked if Trump could use the military to influence or stop the election, Wiles reacted sharply:
It is completely untrue!
However, Vanity Fair raises the key question: Are Trump and his team pushing constitutional boundaries to a point of no return?
Wiles says Trump will abide by court rulings, but predicts the administration will ultimately win…
