Psychologist Questions the Idea of an “Addictive Personality”

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  Psychology Today examined whether an “addictive personality” or “alcoholic’s personality” is a recognized condition, concluding that neither is a recognized medical condition.

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  Susie Wiles, President Trump’s Chief of Staff, used the phrase “alcoholic’s personality” to describe Trump in an interview with Vanity Fair.

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  Wiles said her perspective came partly from her late father, Pat Summerall, a former professional football player and commentator who had lived with alcoholism.

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  Trump agreed with Wiles’s assessment after it became public and said he was fortunate not to drink.

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  The article argues that claims about addictive personalities rely on stereotypes and circular reasoning, and may present unsupported assumptions as medical knowledge.

Who

Susie Wiles and President Donald Trump; the article’s author examines their comments.

What

A discussion of claims that Trump has an “alcoholic’s personality” and whether addictive personality is a valid concept.

When

The article was published on 2026-10-09; the dates of the interview and Trump’s response are not stated.

Where

The comments were made in an interview with Vanity Fair and in a statement to the New York Post.

Why

The article assesses whether the idea of an addictive personality can explain behavior, and argues that the concept is unsupported and risks reinforcing stereotypes.

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