During a high-profile Vanity Fair photoshoot of White House officials, chaos erupted when key Trump insiders were suddenly summoned to the Situation Room, according to the photographer responsible for the iconic images.
Christopher Anderson, now 55, disclosed in an interview with Vanity Fair that the unexpected disruption wasn’t due to any national crisis or security threat. Instead, it was a hurried meeting to address the looming release of the controversial Epstein files.
The photographer revealed that President Trump’s senior advisors were in a state of panic over news that Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert intended to oppose the administration’s stance.
“It became clear to us later that Congresswoman Lauren Boebert had been called into the Situation Room,” Anderson recounted, “as there was significant pressure on her to not advocate for the release of the Epstein files.”
This behind-the-scenes drama unfolded in November when Boebert, previously a staunch supporter of Trump in Congress, joined forces with other hardline Republicans such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, breaking ranks over the Epstein files issue.
Following Boebert’s endorsement of the bipartisan Epstein Transparency Act, which aimed to compel the Department of Justice to disclose the files, reports emerged suggesting that Trump launched a campaign to sway several Republicans against supporting the measure.
According to Anderson’s account, this pressure campaign saw Boebert confronted in the Situation Room, a place usually reserved for high-stakes meetings of national importance.
Notably, hauling Boebert into the White House did not win her over, as the Republican led efforts to pass the legislation that resulted in huge troves of evidence from investigations into Epstein to be made public this week.
Trump eventually U-turned on the passage of the Epstein Transparency Act and urged Republicans to support it, and it passed on November 18 by 427-1.
The inside look at Vanity Fair’s shoot with White House officials comes after an interview Susie Wiles, the Chief of Staff, gave to the outlet triggered a political firestorm.
Anderson divided opinions with his unflattering depictions of Trump’s team, with a close-up of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt coming under particular scrutiny.
But it was Wiles’ remarks to the outlet that caused the most fallout, as she described Trump as having an ‘alcoholic’s personality.’
Wiles also reportedly said Vice President JD Vance was a ‘conspiracy theorist’, remarks that the White House claimed were taken ‘out of context.’
When taking part in the glossy photo spread for the magazine, an unnamed member of the White House staff also made an ominous prediction about the reception their interviews would receive once they were seen by the public.
‘We’re all going to get fired for this,’ the unnamed official joked.
Vance, however, immediately cracked back: ‘Except for me. I have 100 percent job security.’
The vice president was reportedly full of barbs as photographer Christopher Anderson profiled the group, cracking one at the expense of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
‘I’ll give you $100 for every person you make look really s***ty compared to me. And $1,000 if it’s Marco.’
Anderson also recalled a particularly memorable discussion with Wiles’ deputy Stephen Miller, who he claims told him he wielded ‘a lot of power in the discretion you use to be kind to people.’
The photographer said he responded: ‘Yeah, you know, you do too.’
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