Trump's 'Mad About the Ego Grab': The Don's 'Watching' Staff Members Closely After Their Glitzy Magazine Photoshoot — 'He Hates It When Anyone Else Tries to Shine'

All press is good press, or so the saying goes... and Donald Trump is said to be furious his White House staff stole the spotlight away from him with a bombshell magazine interview, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

Despite backlash and intense ridicule sparked by unflattering close-up portraits of press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Vice President JD Vance, and chief of staff Susie Wiles, among others featured in the story, sources claimed an ego war has broken out at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The first of a two-part Vanity Fair spread, in which journalist Chris Wipple spent nearly a year interviewing staffers, Wiles, 68, offered a surprisingly frank behind-the-scenes account of the Trump administration.

Wiles made headlines when she described Trump, 79, as having an "alcoholic's personality" and referred to learning how to deal with her alcoholic father, sportscaster Pat Summerall, as an explanation for how she handles working with the president.

She also branded Vance a longtime "conspiracy theorist" and alleged former DOGE head Elon Musk was an avid "ketamine user."

While the White House tried to spin the article as a "hit piece" amid scrutiny, sources claimed Trump is livid with the blatant "self-promotion" from his staffers.

"He takes credit for everything, and he hates it when anyone else tries to shine," a White House source told Hollywood insider Rob Shuter, who writes on Substack. "This was pure self-promotion, and he noticed immediately."

The glossy spread featured a photoshoot of Wiles, Vance, and Leavitt, as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who were said to be part of Wiles' "core team."

According to photographer Christopher Anderson, several of Trump's staffers, including Vance and Miller, made comments about wanting to look good in the pictures, though the ultimately public reaction was less than favorable.

"Trump saw right through it," the administration insider said of the president's thoughts on the photoshoot. "He doesn’t forgive or forget when people try to make themselves look important at his expense."

While Wiles' personal takes on the president and high-profile cabinet members were shocking to say the least, sources suggested her remarks "barely registered."

"He knows this was their chance to shine, and he got none of the credit," a senior aide explained. "He's watching every move now – loyalty isn't optional in Trump's world."