White House begins search for person who leaked president’s schedule: report

by Tal Axelrod - 02/08/19 11:08 PM ET

The White House has reportedly launched an internal probe into who leaked the president’s schedule to Axios this week.

Politico reported late Friday that the search, which has been approved by acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and President Trump himself, has reached out to the White House IT office and begun narrowing down a list of suspects.

{mosads}One administration official told Politico that the culprit was probably a career government employee who works in the White House and not somebody the president had handpicked for the administration.

The White House earlier this week blasted the leak, which showed that the president has spent about 60 percent of his time over the past three months in “Executive Time.”

“What a disgraceful breach of trust to leak schedules. What these don’t show are the hundreds of calls and meetings @realDonaldTrump takes everyday. This POTUS is working harder for the American people than anyone in recent history,” White House Director of Oval Office operations Madeleine Westerhout tweeted in response.

What a disgraceful breach of trust to leak schedules. What these don’t show are the hundreds of calls and meetings @realDonaldTrump takes everyday. This POTUS is working harder for the American people than anyone in recent history. https://t.co/n1HrxmCsiB

— Madeleine Westerhout (@madwest45) February 3, 2019

Aides told Politico that Trump uses those time blocks to watch TV, call people, read newspapers and do other work.

While critics have slammed the schedules as proof the president is slacking on the job, the White House says executive time is used to keep Trump abreast of legislation and maintain relationships on Capitol Hill, among other things.

“He’s not a slacker. The guy works. He may not have it all scheduled but the guy’s a grinder,” David Urban, a former senior Trump campaign adviser, told Politico. “He’s not a guy who sits on his hands.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill on Friday night.

Trump personally has fumed over the massive amounts of leaks that have characterized his tenure in the White House.

“The spotlight has finally been put on the low-life leakers! They will be caught!” the president tweeted in early 2017, shortly after taking office.