Mark Levin Podcast – December 16, 2025

Episode Title: Who’s to Blame for the Vanity Fair Story?
Host: Larry O’Connor (in for Mark Levin)
Date: December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode, guest-hosted by Larry O’Connor, dives into the Washington, D.C. firestorm ignited by a Vanity Fair interview with Susie Wiles, President Trump’s chief of staff. The discussion centers on controversial quotes attributed to Wiles in the article, the media’s framing of those quotes, and questions of who is truly to blame for the fallout. O’Connor brings in listener calls, provides context and media criticism, and later pivots to discuss current terror threats in Western societies and reactions to the Brown University shooting.

Main Theme

Media Manipulation, Conservative Vulnerability, and the Vanity Fair Controversy
Larry O’Connor unpacks how an interview with Susie Wiles was weaponized by the media, the dangers of conservative figures trusting the press, and the broader culture of media activism. The episode is heavy on listener engagement, media skepticism, and the imperative for conservatives to learn from PR mistakes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Vanity Fair / Susie Wiles Scandal

• [04:12] O’Connor outlines the sequence: Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff, sat for 11 interviews with renowned Vanity Fair journalist known for contrasting portrayals of Democrat and Republican chiefs of staff.

• Media Amplification: Vanity Fair published the article; then offered an exclusive preview to the New York Times, which ran with especially inflammatory excerpts.

• Media Collusion Allegation: O’Connor accuses outlets of working together not as competitors but as left-wing activists targeting the Trump White House.

  “It’s like Burger King giving McDonald’s an exclusive look at their brand new Whopper recipe... They’re all on the same team. They all have the same interest in destroying conservatives, in destroying the Trump presidency.” — Larry O’Connor [06:47]

2. Explosive Quotes and Their Context

• The Paragraph That Lit Up DC: O’Connor reads the New York Times’ most viral summary, which attributes the following to Wiles:

  • Trump "has an alcoholic's personality."
  • VP J.D. Vance "has been a conspiracy theorist for a decade," and his conversion was "sort of political."
  • Elon Musk is "an avowed ketamine user" and "an odd, odd duck."
  • Russell T. Vought (OMB): "a right-wing, absolute zealot."
  • AG Pam Bondi "completely whiffed" on the Epstein files.

• Analysis: O’Connor dissects each slight, arguing some are non-issues (Musk’s oddness, Vought’s conservatism) but that the Trump comment is designed for maximal damage.

  “The damage is what was said about the President...and we’re going to give you the details and the context and the real quote on that in just one moment.” — Larry O’Connor [18:32]

3. Media Framing vs Reality

• Susie Wiles’ Statement: She accuses Vanity Fair of publishing a “disingenuously framed hit piece,” omitting context and painting a negative narrative. She refrains from denying the comments attributed to her, but claims they're misleading without context. [17:38]

• Context on ‘Alcoholic’s Personality’

  • The NYT only quoted the phrase “has an alcoholic’s personality.”
  • Wiles’ actual quote referenced growing up with her alcoholic father and handling “big personalities,” drawing a parallel with Trump — who, famously, doesn’t drink.
  • The full quote:

  “High-functioning alcoholics or alcoholics in general, their personalities are exaggerated when they drink... So I’m a little bit of an expert in big personalities... He [Trump] has an alcoholic's personality and operates with a view that there’s nothing he can’t do. Nothing. Zero. Nothing.” — read by Larry O’Connor [29:41]

  • O’Connor: The media could have instead said, “Wiles says Trump operates with a view that there’s nothing he can’t do”—a potentially flattering trait.

4. Who Is to Blame? Listeners Chime In

• Callers’ Perspectives:
  • Sandy (El Centro, CA) [22:04]: Blames Susie Wiles for naively trusting the press, despite years of evidence of media hostility.
  • Jerry (Sarasota, FL) [25:03]: Asserts that anyone in such a position should "know your enemy.” Calls Wiles’ actions irresponsible, whatever the context.
  • Joe (Woodbridge, VA) [37:15]: Suggests the controversy may be intentional, speculating that Trump signed off on the interviews to “troll the media” with carefully crafted quotes.
• O’Connor’s Takeaways:
  • Even if framed, a seasoned conservative operative should expect this treatment; there are lessons to be learned regarding media engagement.

5. J.D. Vance Responds to ‘Conspiracy Theorist’ Charge

• Vance’s Response (paraphrased) [33:48]:
  • Jokes that he only believes in the “conspiracy theories that are true,” citing COVID policies and general media-government narratives.
  • Emphasizes his joking, longstanding rapport with Wiles, downplaying the controversy.
  • Concludes:

  “A conspiracy theory is just something that was true six months before the media admitted it." — J.D. Vance

6. Broader Media Critique

• O’Connor argues media outlets collaborate to amplify anti-conservative stories, weaponizing out-of-context quotes and prioritizing activism over journalistic competition.

Additional Segments

Terror Attacks & Cancelled Holidays: The Broader Threat

[41:27] O’Connor pivots to a global overview of recent thwarted and successful terrorist attacks during the Christmas and New Year’s season (Australia, Germany, France, Poland, USA), linking most to radical Islamist motives.

• Theme: The West’s response—heightened security or canceled events—is evidence the terrorists are succeeding in spreading fear and disruption.

• Critique: Western governments have allowed these threats by welcoming individuals who now pose risks; when conservatives propose reconsidering open border policies, they’re demonized.

  “Funny thing about terrorists. They have two goals. They want to murder you ... Their second, not quite as important goal is to terrify you. Hence the name: terrorist.” — Larry O’Connor [44:54]

Brown University Shooting & Campus Security [100:50]

• O’Connor breaks down the mysterious shooting at Brown, highlighting:

  • The conservative identity of one victim, Ella Cook, and the alleged targeting.
  • Odd official responses: authorities say there’s “no threat to the wider community,” slow emergency alerts, and evasive answers on what was shouted by the (still-at-large) suspect.
  • Accusations of administrative incompetence and ideological blindness, especially in responding to campus violence against conservatives.
  • Rumored suspect: a “queer Palestinian activist,” with related online footprints scrubbed.

  “What are the odds… that of all the students at Brown University, one of the two murdered is one of the few out-of-the-closet, well-known conservative Christians?” — Larry O’Connor [100:54]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “They’re not really in business. They’re activists.” — Larry O’Connor (about Vanity Fair/NYT) [07:45]
• Caller Sandy: “I want our movement to grow. I don’t want people to be persuaded by the stupidity from New York Times and Vanity Fair by hearing a snippet…” [22:58]
• Larry O’Connor: “Nobody as smart as Susie Wiles says, ‘I’m going to sit with Vanity Fair…they’ll treat me and President Trump fairly.’ There’s no chance. Nobody’s that stupid, Sandy.” [23:16]
• J.D. Vance: "A conspiracy theory is just something that was true six months before the media admitted it." [33:28]
• On the Trump ‘alcoholic’s personality’ accusation:
  “You see, Susie Wiles was trying to say of the President that he operates as if there’s nothing he can’t do. But she compared it to living with her father, who was an alcoholic... Of course [the media] did it. The question is, why couldn’t Susie Wiles figure that out?” [31:13]
• On Western Europe canceling public celebrations:
  “The second you’re that guy who stands up in the back of the room and says...maybe we should rethink our policy here... you’re the problem, because diversity is our strength.” [60:35]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–04:00: Show intro, host change, upcoming topics
• 04:12–09:45: Vanity Fair interview origins & media framing
• 17:19: Wiles’ statement; cabinet support; O’Connor’s synthesis
• 22:04–26:10: Caller input—who’s at fault for the controversy?
• 29:00–32:15: Context: The real ‘alcoholic’s personality’ quote
• 33:47: J.D. Vance responds to the ‘conspiracy theorist’ label
• 41:27–61:00: Christmas/New Year’s terror threats; Western response; open borders debate
• 100:50–115:00: Brown University shooting—a case study in campus and official incoherence

Overall Tone & Style

• Tone: Combative, sardonic, skeptical of “mainstream media,” passionate about conservative causes, sometimes facetious.
• Language: Informal, direct, often tongue-in-cheek or mocking (especially of media, political left, and university administrators).
• Listener Engagement: High; several calls, respectful engagement, encouragement of debate.

Conclusion

This episode pivots around the lessons conservatives should learn regarding media engagement, using the Susie Wiles/Vanity Fair incident as a cautionary tale about “knowing your enemy” in press relations. Larry O’Connor’s analysis urges skepticism, vigilance, and an insistence on context as defenses against coordinated activist journalism. The latter half of the show reflects on cultural vulnerability in the West, highlighting the consequences of political and social choices, and expressing concern over a pattern of violence targeting conservative institutions and values.

Listeners are left with vital questions about trust, media, and the importance of disciplined messaging in a hostile information landscape.

(This summary omits non-content sections, ads, and routine show promos, focusing solely on the substantive discussion.)