President Donald Trump has denied anonymously sourced reports alleging that he is looking to fire or replace White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
On Thursday, Politico, citing anonymous sources, reported that the president is asking about replacing Wiles and asked unnamed allies who could take the job in her stead.
But in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times on Friday, a White House spokesperson included a statement from Trump: “TOTAL FAKE NEWS Politico doesn’t care about facts, integrity, or honest journalism — it’s why I kicked them out of the White House!”
“Susie Wiles is my loyal and longest serving Chief of Staff — there is a reason for that,” it added. “She has been with me since the beginning, is my trusted advisor, and has my COMPLETE confidence. President DONALD J. TRUMP.” The same Trump statement was also published by Politico.
The email to The Epoch Times also included a statement from White House spokesperson Danielle Alvarez, who said the “anonymous sources” making claims about the administration “know nothing,” adding that Trump assembled a “united team” without “the egos and political games of anonymous outsiders.”
Politico cited “four people with direct knowledge” of the alleged conversations with Trump about Wiles or her potential replacement. The report did not include the names of the officials or allies with whom Trump was allegedly speaking.
It claimed the president floated deputy chief of staff and longtime aide Stephen Miller or New York Yankees head Randy Levine as her replacements. Other names allegedly mentioned included federal housing director Bill Pulte, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, and former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, according to the article.
For her part, Wiles has not issued a public statement in response to the Politico report.
Trump in September announced on Truth Social he would block Politico, CNN, and MS NOW—formerly called MSNBC—from accessing the White House for what he said are the outlets’ reporting of “fake news,” “fiction,” and “lies” about his administration. He wrote that other media outlets could also be banned for similar reasons.
In response, Politico said in a statement that it would “vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them.”
The decision was challenged by the three news outlets in court. A federal judge on Tuesday ordered an extension of a previous ruling that mandated the White House continue allowing CNN, Politico, and MS NOW journalists to access the White House building.
Wiles, the daughter of former NFL sportscaster Pat Summerall, took the role as Trump’s chief of staff in January 2025 after she led his successful 2024 presidential campaign. She has a long history in Republican politics, working for Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign and other subsequent GOP candidates throughout the years.
Earlier this year, Wiles announced that she was being treated for breast cancer, but indicated at the time that she wouldn’t step down. In September, Wiles announced she is cancer-free after receiving treatment for the disease, which she described as early-stage.
“Some personal news I’m grateful to share. After a medical appointment at the Mayo Clinic this week, my pathology results came back clear. I am cancer free,” Wiles said in a statement.
Earlier this week, MS NOW retracted a report that claimed FBI Director Kash Patel had landed in Russia, citing two people who were “familiar with the matter.” The FBI responded by posting a video of Patel at an event at Liberty University in Virginia.
“MS Now’s ‘sources’ are ‘familiar’ with NOTHING!” the FBI said in a post on X.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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