In March,White House Chief of Staff Susie Wilessent an email to Trump staff, instructing them in no uncertain terms to stopleaking to the press. That memo didn’t stay private for long.
The email, obtained byPolitico, stated that “no staff member within the Executive Office of the President is permitted to speak with members of the news media without the explicit approval of the White House Communications Office.”
It also warned that “unauthorized leakswill not be tolerated and are subject to sanction up to and including termination.”
Wiles, who the president has described as an “ice maiden”, added: “Violation of this policy can result in significant disruption to ongoing operations and can potentially endanger missions and activities of national significance.”
The email followed mounting exasperation inside the West Wing over staffers sidestepping official channels and sharing unauthorized details of internal tensions with the press. In April, for instance, the White House griped about how details related to adowned U.S. military aircraft in Iranwere leaked to the press.
“She was generally very frustrated with leaks,” a source toldPolitico.
Wiles has also pushed for tighter discipline within the executive branch, advising Cabinet officials last month toavoid nonessential international tripsin the lead-up to the midterm elections.
“There are hundreds of White House staffers faithfully serving the American people, all of whom are held to strict policies - including a zero-tolerance policy against speaking to the media without explicit authorization from the Communications Office - to ensure the President’s message is communicated clearly, accurately, and directly to the American people,” White House spokesperson Liz Huzton toldPoliticoin a statement.
The Independenthas contacted the White House for comment.
Wiles herself raised eyebrows in December for remarks she made toVanity FairaboutTrump and other Cabinet officials. She described the president as having an “alcoholic’s personality” and labeled Vice President JD Vance a “conspiracy theorist.”
Source: Drudge Report
