A recent tell-all interview in Vanity Fair with Susie Wiles, former White House chief of staff, has ignited significant discussion regarding her candid observations of Donald Trump. Wiles, who played a pivotal role in Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, asserted that the former president, despite being famously teetotal, exhibits what she terms an “alcoholic’s personality.” This revelation forms part of a broader interview where Wiles also offered sharp critiques of figures like JD Vance and Elon Musk.

Wiles’s unique position, having served as the first woman White House chief of staff, lends weight to her characterizations. Her perspective on such personality types is informed by personal experience; her father, legendary NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall, was a recovering alcoholic who sought treatment. This background, Wiles suggested, made her “a little bit of an expert in big personalities,” particularly those who operate with an unshakeable belief that “there’s nothing he can’t do.”

The concept of an “alcoholic’s personality” describes a set of traits often observed in individuals with addictive tendencies, even in the absence of active substance use. These characteristics, sometimes referred to as “dry drunk” behaviour, manifest as an intense, single-minded determination, an “it’s your way, or the highway” approach, and a profound difficulty in accepting criticism or alternative viewpoints. Such patterns can dominate various aspects of an individual’s life.

Dr. Cosmo Duff Gordon, an addiction specialist and founder of Chelsea Recovery Associates, elaborates on this phenomenon. He describes an alcoholic personality as someone not drinking alcohol but whose addictive tendencies manifest across all life domains, including relationships, finances, and power. This individual is driven by a constant, insatiable “need for more,” where “nothing is ever really going to be enough,” mirroring the alcoholic’s endless craving for drink.

Furthermore, Dr. Duff Gordon highlights that this personality type is often accompanied by a profound “disregard for other people.” At its core, the alcoholic personality perceives itself as the “centre of the universe,” exhibiting self-centred, obsessive, compulsive, and impulsive traits. A pervasive sense of denial frequently underpins these behaviours, making self-awareness and accountability challenging for the individual.

The Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, a foundational text for recovery, similarly identifies “selfishness – self-centredness!” as the root of such troubles. It describes individuals driven by “a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity,” which can lead them to disregard the feelings and needs of others. This framework underscores the deep-seated nature of these personality patterns beyond mere substance abuse.

Donald Trump’s abstinence from alcohol is well-documented and stems from a deeply personal tragedy. His older brother, Fred Trump Jr., died in 1981 at the age of 42 due to heart complications exacerbated by excessive drinking. This experience profoundly influenced Trump, who later stated, “If you don’t start, you’re never going to have a problem. If you do start, you might have a problem. And it’s a tough problem to stop.”

However, addiction specialists contend that merely abstaining from alcohol does not necessarily resolve underlying addictive personality traits, often termed “isms.” These traits can resurface and manifest in other compulsive behaviours or dysfunctional patterns across relationships, work, spending, or even a pursuit of power. The absence of a substance does not eliminate the psychological drivers behind the behaviour.

A key concept in recovery circles is “King Baby,” a term sometimes attributed to Freud, which describes the core characteristics of an alcoholic personality. These include an inability to accept criticism, a tendency to blame others for problems, an expectation of special treatment, and a belief that normal rules do not apply to them. Such individuals often avoid personal responsibility and constantly seek external approval.

This “all-or-nothing” thinking leads to seeing situations in extremes, making compromise difficult. The pursuit of power, in particular, can become a potent substitute for a substance, providing a similar sense of control and invincibility. For those exhibiting these traits, the drive to achieve and dominate can overshadow self-reflection or empathy.

Individuals operating in this mode often find it challenging to confront their own blind spots or to consider how their actions impact others. The relentless pursuit of goals, coupled with an inflexible stance, can be described as “self-will run riot” in recovery terminology. This often leads to strained relationships and an inability to adapt or learn from feedback.

Despite Wiles later attempting to distance herself from the Vanity Fair piece on social media, labelling it a “disingenuously framed hit piece,” the interviewer, Chris Whipple, maintains the veracity of her statements. Whipple, who met with Wiles over eleven months, asserted that “everything is on tape,” reinforcing the journalistic integrity of the published account and the significance of Wiles’s original comments.

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Keywords: Donald Trump, Susie Wiles, Alcoholic personality, Vanity Fair interview, Addictive personality traits, King Baby syndrome, Dry drunk behavior, White House Chief of Staff