White House aide on leaks: Don’t toy with John Kelly

White House aide Sebastian Gorka sent a warning to West Wing staff on Saturday about leaking information: Don’t mess with President Trump’s new chief of staff.

“This is John F. Kelly. This is a man you do not toy with,” Gorka said during an appearance on “Fox and Friends.”

The national security aide, who has been a visible surrogate for Trump on cable news recently, said the mood in the West Wing has changed for some since the retired four-star Marine general and Homeland Security chief took the helm Monday.

{mosads}

“For those like myself that have nothing to hide, we’re doing business as usual,” Gorka said when asked if aides felt Kelly had clamped down on White House operations.

“For those who may have not been abiding by federal law when it comes to sensitive and classified information, I think they’ve got the message and I think you will see things change very rapidly,” he added.

Gorka said Kelly has warned executive staff that “loose lips sink ships and if you leak there will be consequences.”

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.

While plans to announce the crackdown had already been in the works, the announcement came a day after full transcripts of Trump’s calls with the leaders of Mexico and Australia were leaked to The Washington Post.

Gorka on Saturday defended Sessions as a “serious man” focused on cracking down on intelligence leaks, noting his meeting with the attorney general the previous day.

“He will get to the bottom of the leaks,” Gorka said.

The attorney general has faced criticism from the president in recent weeks over his recusal in the probe into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, raising questions about his future in the administration.