President Trump reportedly suspects that his chief strategist Stephen Bannon is behind some White House leaks about fellow staffers, according to a new report by Axios.
Sources told Axios that West Wing staff believe Bannon was behind leaks about national security adviser H.R. McMaster and that Bannon’s job could be in danger.
According to the report, Trump has been “irritated” with Bannon following a series of Breitbart reports targeting McMaster. Bannon was formerly the executive chairman of Breitbart.
There is no clear connection, however, linking Bannon to such reports.
{mosads}Trump has long decried leaks of sensitive information to media, such as specifics of his Oval Office conversations with world leaders earlier this year, as well as details surrounding the palace intrigue around the White House.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a government-wide crackdown on leakers on Friday, including a review of Justice Department policies on subpoenas for media outlets that publish such sensitive information.
Many also expect that chief of staff John Kelly will help crack down on leaks.
White House aide Sebastian Gorka sent a warning to West Wing staff last week about leaking information, saying not to mess with Kelly.
“This is John F. Kelly. This is a man you do not toy with,” Gorka said during an appearance on “Fox and Friends.”
“He will get to the bottom of the leaks,” Gorka added at the time.
–This report was updated on Aug. 13 at 6:25 a.m.
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