In a remarkably candid interview, Donald Trump's White House chief of staff has launched a scathing attack on Elon Musk, condemning his "irrational" dismantling of a key US aid agency and revealing startling details about his behaviour in office.
‘No Rational Person’ Could Support Musk’s USAID Process
Susie Wiles, the President's top aide, gave an explosive account to Vanity Fair, portraying Musk's leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as chaotic and poorly managed. She saved her strongest criticism for Musk's handling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which he effectively took apart.
"No rational person could think the USAID process was a good one. Nobody," Wiles stated bluntly. She explained she had to inform the Tesla billionaire that he lacked the authority to lock officials out of their offices during the upheaval.
Wiles claimed Musk only informed the White House he was dismantling the agency after he was "already into it", adhering to a disruptive "move fast and break things" approach. Established during the Cold War, USAID was a principal instrument of American diplomacy and support for developing nations.
Ketamine Use and a Sleeping Bag in the Office
The chief of staff's critique extended to Musk's personal conduct during his tenure in the Trump administration. She described him as an "odd, odd duck" whose eccentricities were unhelpful.
"He’s an avowed ketamine [user]. And he sleeps in a sleeping bag in the [Executive Office Building] in the daytime," Wiles revealed in one conversation from the period. She framed the challenge of working with Musk as simply keeping up with him.
Wiles expressed initial horror at the dismantling of USAID, stating that anyone familiar with its work believed it did good. She asserted that Musk shuttered life-saving programmes, including disruptions to an AIDS treatment initiative, against the president's wishes. UN officials have warned these disruptions could lead to millions more HIV/AIDS deaths over five years.
Trump ‘Doesn’t Know the Details’, Says Chief of Staff
Perhaps the most jarring revelation was Wiles's explanation for why Musk's actions weren't stopped: Donald Trump was unaware and unconcerned.
"The president doesn’t know and never will," she said during one of 11 interviews for the piece. "He doesn’t know the details of these smallish agencies." This admission is stark given the centralisation of policymaking power in the White House over the past year.
The dismantling occurred in the administration's earliest days. Musk boasted on social media, "We spent the weekend feeding USAID into the wood chipper," calling the agency a "criminal organisation". Following a six-week review led by DOGE and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, over 80% of USAID's work was ended.
Rubio, who acted as USAID's administrator before handing the role to fiscal hawk Russ Vought, stated in August that "USAID is officially in close out mode," with core programmes moved to the State Department. The DOGE agency, disbanded by November 2025, claimed to have cut $214 billion in spending, though this figure remains unverified.
Despite their public falling-out—during which Musk accused Trump of being "in the Epstein files"—the billionaire recently visited the White House, sparking speculation of a reconciliation. In a recent interview, Musk called DOGE "somewhat successful" but said he wouldn't launch the initiative again if given the chance.
