Susie Wiles, chief of staff to President Donald Trump, has revealed how senior White House aides manage the president’s unusual sleep schedule and late-night work habits behind the scenes.
Speaking during the Independent Women’s Gala on Thursday, Wiles discussed the challenges of operating in what she described as a White House that runs on “Trump time,” according to The Mirror US.
“I am not one of those people that doesn’t need sleep, I actually do very much,” Wiles, 68, said while explaining how staff members adapt to the president’s around-the-clock routine.
Trump’s habit of posting on Truth Social late at night and remaining active during overnight hours has long fueled curiosity about how much sleep he actually gets.
White House splits shifts to keep up with Trump
According to Wiles, the administration has developed an informal system to ensure staff can manage the demanding workload while still getting rest.
“I go to sleep early, and Dan Scavino, who I’m sure many of you know is a night owl, we divide it,” she explained. “I get the early calls, and Dan gets the late calls.”
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Wiles added that the arrangement has evolved over several years to help aides navigate the president’s unconventional schedule. “That’s the way we’ve navigated over a couple of years, making sure we all get enough sleep, even if the president doesn’t,” she said.
Scavino later appeared to joke about the remarks by posting a video of an owl on X.
‘People make sacrifices’
During the event, Wiles also pushed back against what she described as misconceptions about life inside the White House.
“We work hard, many people make sacrifices, they have young families, they have marriages that they’re trying to keep intact,” she said, according to The Mirror US.
She described the emotional and physical toll of extended work stretches, saying staff members often endure “seven days and 13 days and 21 days of 18-hour workdays.”
“It takes a bit away,” she added.
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Trump’s sleep habits
Trump’s sleep schedule has been discussed publicly by several aides over the years. CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins previously claimed on a podcast that Trump frequently stays awake during trips aboard Air Force One and may even wake staff members to continue conversations.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi also remarked last year that “none of us know when he sleeps.”
Trump himself has joked about his sleeping habits. After appearing to briefly close his eyes during a televised cabinet meeting earlier this year, he brushed off the speculation by saying the session had simply become “a little bit on the boring side.”
“I didn’t sleep by the way,” Trump added. “I don’t sleep much.”
