A Trump administration official knew that Vanity Fair’s heavyweights were unlikely to be well-received when its photographers gathered senior figures to shoot the glossy cover.
“We’re all going to be fired for this,” said an official with the group, which includes press secretary Carolyn Leavitt, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, chief of staff Suzy Wells, deputy chiefs of staff James Blair and Dan Scavino and homeland security adviser Stephen Miller.
“Except me,” Vice President JD Vance replied. “My job is 100 percent guaranteed.”
J.D. Vance joked that he had
The formal photo, taken by Vanity Fair photographer Christopher Anderson, shows Levitt, Vance, Rubio, Wiles, Blair, Scavino and Miller posing stoically around a table in the Roosevelt Room.
In an article about how the Vanity Fair cover photo came together, global editorial director Mark Guiducci detailed how Vance, 41, made nervous jokes and insults about the publication and its fellow government officials throughout the process.
A two-page black-and-white photo shows government officials looking stoic. /Christopher Anderson/Vanity Fair
“Is this the part where you say we’re all evil?” he asked the publication as officials posed for a group photo.
Early in filming, he joked, “If you make everyone look worse than me, I’ll give you $100. If it’s Marco, I’ll give you $1,000.”
The government’s apparent misgivings about Vanity Fair’s image turned out to be well-founded.
Wiles said Trump has
While Vance, Levitt, Rubio, Blair and Miller passed profiles without much controversy, Wiles gave a shockingly candid interview about the chaos within the administration.
Rubio said Wiles “earned trust” with Trump, said the president has an “alcoholic personality,” called Vance a “conspiracy theorist,” and accused former President Elon Musk of being “openly on ketamine.” [user]” and called Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Voight a “right-wing fanatic.”
Wiles’s glowing remarks made her the subject of rumors that she was about to leave the White House. /Christopher Anderson/Vanity Fair
Wiles, 68, immediately tried to distance herself from the article, saying: “The article published early this morning was a dishonest hit piece targeting me and the best president, White House staff and Cabinet in history.”
“Important context was ignored, and much of what I and others said about the team and the president was left out of the story. After reading it, I believe this was done to paint an extremely confusing and negative narrative about the president and our team,” she added.
Susan Wiles profile photo shoot for Vanity Fair magazine. /Christopher Anderson/Vanity Fair
Leavitt, standing behind Wiles, told The Daily Beast, “President Trump has had no greater and more loyal adviser than Suzy. The entire administration is grateful for her steady leadership and fully supports her.”
The article suddenly put Wiles at the center of rumors that she was leaving the White House. The speculation has also dogged FBI Director Kash Patel, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegers.
