Vanity Fair writer Chris Whipple defends Susie Wiles interviews: 'Everything is on tape'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A growing media controversy has erupted around a Vanity Fair interview with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

The Vanity Fair writer strongly defended the reporting during a live CNN appearance on Wednesday, December 17, emphasizing that every conversation was recorded and that the work withstands close scrutiny.

Wiles, meanwhile, has challenged the piece’s framing on social media, and supporters within the Trump administration have reacted to the escalating dispute. 

Vanity Fair writer Chris Whipple responds to Susie Wiles’ criticism

Whipple has openly defended his prominent interviews with Wiles following her claim that his portrayal of conversations with her and other Trump Cabinet members was “disingenuously framed.”

He said, "When you hear words like out of context and omissions and framing, what that tells you right away is that you are absolutely – you have hit the target."

Whipple emphasized the credibility of his reporting, "They have nothing. They literally have not challenged a single assertion or fact in the piece."

Whipple compared the response to a historic journalistic tactic, saying, “And so to me, this reminds me of Ben Bradlee during the Watergate days, who talked about non-denial denial. This is a classic non-denial.”

He further emphasised, "They're not contesting any of the substance of the piece because they know it's true."

Whipple highlighted the evidence backing his reporting, asserting, "And every interview was recorded, everything is on tape. And so they know that they just can't go there."

Trump administration defense on Susie Wiles interview

Defending Wiles, Vice President JD Vance said, "I've never seen Susie Wiles say something to the president and then go and counteract him or subvert his will behind the scenes."

He further said "I've never seen her be disloyal to the president of the United States and that makes her the best White House chief of staff the president could ask for."

Vance also noted Wiles had often joked about him being a conspiracy theorist.

President Trump also came to her defence, telling reporters that he has "oh, she’s fantastic”. He further claimed “From what I hear, the facts were wrong, and it was a very misguided interviewer, purposely misguided.”

In a post shared on social media platform X, Wiles accused the article of being a “hit piece” and of omitting context.

She argued, “Significant context was disregarded and much of what I, and others, said about the team and the President was left out of the story."

Wiles explained her perspective on the article’s framing, saying, “I assume, after reading it, that this was done to paint an overwhelmingly chaotic and negative narrative about the President and our team.”

She continued, “The truth is the Trump White House has already accomplished more in eleven months than any other President has accomplished in eight years."