Trump Says Chief of Staff Pushed Him to Deliver Unusual National Address

President Donald Trump acknowledged that his widely discussed national address this week was not his own idea, revealing in remarks made after the cameras stopped rolling that the speech had been urged by his chief of staff, Susie Wiles.

The president made the comments following his 18-minute address to the nation on Wednesday night, which was carried live by major television networks. The speech, delivered from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room, drew attention for its rapid pace and combative tone, as Trump made a series of claims about his administration’s performance while sharply criticizing his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

Trump had announced the rare national address on his Truth Social platform just hours after Vanity Fair published a high-profile profile of Wiles, prompting speculation that the president might unveil a major policy move or international action. Instead, the address largely reiterated familiar political talking points.

According to accounts from journalists present in the room after the broadcast ended, Trump turned to his senior staff and asked how the speech had gone. Reporters said aides responded positively, telling the president that the address had been effective. Trump then remarked that Wiles had told him he “had to” deliver the national address.

White House correspondents reported that those present included Wiles, deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, communications director Steven Cheung, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and executive assistant Natalie Harp.

The address itself sparked concern and criticism from some observers. Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a CNN medical analyst and former cardiologist to Vice President Dick Cheney, publicly expressed alarm during the broadcast. “I’m seriously concerned about the health of the president,” Reiner wrote on social media. “He looks unwell.”

Media coverage of the speech was extensive, with CBS interrupting the live finale of its reality television program Survivor to carry the address in full. Social media reaction was swift, with critics describing the speech as “manic” and supporters defending the president’s forceful delivery.

Neither the White House nor Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has publicly commented on Trump’s remarks about the decision-making behind the address. However, the episode has renewed attention on Wiles’ influence within the administration, as well as questions surrounding the timing, tone, and purpose of the president’s unusual national broadcast.