Trump staffers air 'frustration with the president' over 'demoralizing' interview

Politico is reporting that several disgruntled staffers in President Donald Trump's administration are now speaking out in response to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles' candid comments to Vanity Fair's Chris Whipple.

In her interview with Vanity Fair, Wiles remarked that Trump had an "alcoholic's personality," that Vice President JD Vance was a "conspiracy theorist" and that Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought was a "zealot." She also confirmed that Trump uses the Department of Justice against his own personal enemies, and said Attorney General Pam Bondi "completely whiffed" on the matter of the Epstein files.

In Politico's Tuesday report, several unnamed staffers in the Trump White House confided to the publication that they viewed Wiles' comments as "extremely demoralizing" and "very, very odd" given that Vanity Fair is not known for giving the Trump administration favorable coverage.

"What are we talking about? Jeffrey Epstein and Venezuela? James Comey? Letitia James?" One White House source anonymously said. "There’s a frustration on that, and I think a lot of that is frustration with the White House, but a lot of it is frustration with the president."

Some in the Trump White House acknowledged that Wiles is a seasoned Republican operative who has worked in politics for decades, and remarked that she felt empowered to plainly share her views on the Trump administration and some of its top personnel. Trump himself seemed to confirm Wiles' job security on Tuesday, telling the New York Post that he agreed with her assessment about him sharing common traits with alcoholics despite him being a teetotaler.

"Susie is incredibly savvy and knows exactly what ‘on background’ and ‘off the record’ mean; this was intentional," one source said. "She clearly feels well within her rights to speak so freely, and that the president has her back no matter what."

"Does she have some explaining to do? Sure but the president likes her," said one source described as a "high-level Republican close to the White House."

"In another administration ... Mark Meadows or Mick Mulvaney would have been fired or started writing their resignation letters by now," they added.

Click here to read Politico's article in its entirety.