In an ironic twist, Politico reported on a story about Leaks in the White House and Sean Spicer's reaction to them. Mr. Spicer, the gun-chomping White House Press Secretary, is concerned about leaks. Politico said, "It's not the first time that warnings about leaks have promptly leaked." For example, the U.S. State Department's legal office issued a memo warning about the dangers of leaks. You guessed it: the memo "leaked and was almost immediately posted by the Washington Post.
Mr. Spicer, suspects the leaks about "Russia" are emanating from the White House Communications staff.
For example, the news that leaked that Reince Priebus, White House chief-of-staff, asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to "knock down" the stories about the contacts between the Trump campaign team and Russian intelligence officials coordinating the presidential election.
Sean Spicer called a 'surprise' staff meeting
Politico reported Mr. Spicer called a surprise staff meeting in the White House and administration lawyers, who consulted with counsel Don McGahn, searched the cell phones of all that attended. President Donald Trump spent a good deal of the past week grousing about the "fake news" and the "leaks," which presumably were not "fake" at all.
WH press secretary Sean Spicer is cracking down on White House leaks https://t.co/C6NqrXIRHh pic.twitter.com/My029C99Jc
— CNN (@CNN) February 26, 2017
White House press secretary Sean Spicer asked to review staff’s phones in effort to discourage leaks, sources say. https://t.co/gifvKEZf6y pic.twitter.com/i8SB6J8RSe
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) February 26, 2017
White House press secretary Sean Spicer asked to review staff’s phones in effort to discourage leaks, sources say. https://t.co/gifvKEZf6y pic.twitter.com/i8SB6J8RSe
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) February 26, 2017
White House communications staff forced to give up cell phones to WH lawyers
The staff was warned about using some specific texting apps, such as Confide and Signal -- both are encrypted and screenshot-protected messaging apps which automatically deletes texts after being sent -- are a violation of the Federal Records Act.
Politico said there were "multiple" sources" in the room, a deliberate message to Trump, who said in a speech delivered at CPAC on Friday, that he did not like anonymous sourcing. Government-issued and personal cell phones were checked at the meeting. Mr. Spicer specifically warned that ay more leaks, presumably this one reported, would result in more problems for those involved.
Trump frustrated by 'leaks'
President Trump is also frustrated by the "leaking" and is untrusting of the FBI and the intelligence agencies, believing they are deliberately releasing information to make him look bad. He is pressuring Mr. Spicer and other staffers to find the source.
The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security "leakers" that have permeated our government for a long time. They can't even......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2017
find the leakers within the FBI itself. Classified information is being given to media that could have a devastating effect on U.S. FIND NOW
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2017
This will surely come out on the next "Saturday Night Live" with Melissa McCarthy playing the part of Sean Spicer.