Vice President JD Vance publicly acknowledged being a conspiracy theorist on Dec. 16, 2025, defending himself after White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles characterized him that way in a Vanity Fair profile. Speaking at a Uline Inc facility near Allentown, Pennsylvania, the vice president responded to reporters’ questions about Wiles’ assessment.
“Sometimes I am a conspiracy theorist, but I only believe in the conspiracy theories that are true,” Vance said. He went on to suggest that conspiracy theories often prove accurate before mainstream media acknowledges them, claiming that “a conspiracy theory is just something that was true six months before the media admitted it.”
The comments came in response to revelations from Wiles’ extensive interviews with Vanity Fair, where she stated that Vance had been “a conspiracy theorist for a decade.” The chief of staff also suggested that his shift from a Trump critic to MAGA supporter was “sort of political,” according to her assessment of the timing of his transformation during his Senate campaign.
Wiles conducted 11 interviews with Vanity Fair over a months-long period, offering candid assessments of key figures in President Donald Trump’s inner circle.
The Vanity Fair interviews, conducted by author Chris Whipple over a months-long period beginning in early 2025, represented an unusual level of access to a typically disciplined White House official. The administration had cooperated with the project, with multiple officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, participating in interviews and posing for photographs by Christopher Anderson.
The photographic portraits themselves became a secondary controversy, with critics on social media calling the extreme close-up images unflattering. The photos showed administration officials including Wiles, Vance, Rubio, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in stark, high-definition detail that sparked widespread commentary online.
Beyond her assessment of Vance, Wiles made several other notable characterizations in the interviews. She described Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought as “a right-wing absolute zealot” and called billionaire Elon Musk an “odd duck” and “avowed ketamine user.” She also revealed disagreements over policy implementation, including expressing initial reservations about Trump’s blanket pardons for January 6 defendants, saying she believed only non-violent participants should receive clemency before ultimately getting “on board” with the president’s decision.
Despite the unflattering characterization, Vance rallied to Wiles’ defense during his Pennsylvania appearance. He praised her loyalty to the president and described her as the best White House chief of staff Trump could ask for.
“Susie Wiles, we have our disagreements. We agree on much more than we disagree, but I’ve never seen her be disloyal to the president of the United States,” Vance said.
The Vanity Fair profile created significant fallout within the administration, with Wiles herself quickly attempting to distance herself from the final product. She posted on social media calling the article a hit piece.
Trump himself came to Wiles’ defense, though he admitted to not having read the article. The president dismissed Vanity Fair and praised Wiles for doing a “fantastic job” as chief of staff.
Among Wiles’ observations was her claim that Trump possesses “an alcoholic’s personality.” Trump agreed with the assessment in an interview with the New York Post, confirming he has a “possessive and addictive type personality” and noting his decision to abstain from alcohol.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt joined the chorus of administration officials defending Wiles, declaring her “the most loyal adviser” to the president.
Vance also took aim at Vanity Fair during his Pennsylvania event, saying officials should give fewer interviews to mainstream media outlets.
Beyond her comments about Vance, Wiles criticized Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Epstein files and made observations about other key administration figures. Republican political commentator and Trump supporter Scott Jennings, appearing on CNN, criticized the Vanity Fair photos.