Officials asked to turn over phones at the White House as Wiles, Patel lead intensifying leak probe
Patel and Wiles led a White House war room as investigators sought phones and DOJ subpoenas reached four New York Times journalists.
- Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and FBI Director Kash Patel personally orchestrated a sprawling White House investigation last week into who leaked security concerns about a Qatari-gifted airplane, with Patel diverted from Chicago on Friday to help establish what sources called a 'war room' in the West Wing.
- President Donald Trump fumed over disclosures about the new plane, prompting an intense leak probe; he abruptly sent the $400 million Qatari-gifted jet ahead to England's Mildenhall Air Force Base before departing a NATO summit in Turkey, then switched to an older aircraft despite downplaying security reasons.
- Investigators sought information from those traveling with Trump across various agencies, though not all officials asked to surrender devices complied; the 747 was quickly retrofitted but remained less secure than the older version, with officials noting it was 'rushed into service' by the military and Secret Service.
- The New York Times reported early Saturday that the Justice Department had issued subpoenas to four of its journalists covering the plane security concerns, prompting journalists and free press advocates to criticize the move as an affront to First Amendment protections.
- Two new jets renegotiated during Trump's first term face serious delays and aren't expected until at least 2028, forcing continued reliance on the Qatari-gifted aircraft; Trump justified the plane switch on social media, writing 'Everybody is so excited, and we thought that they should be the first' to tour it.
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Exclusive: Officials asked to turn over phones at the White House as Wiles, Patel lead intensifying leak probe
Chief of staff Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump’s closest aide, and FBI Director Kash Patel helped personally orchestrate a sprawling investigation last week at the White House aimed at determining who in the government leaked information about the security deficiencies of a Qatari-gifted airplane meant to be used as Air Force One – with some officials being asked to turn over their phones to investigators on White House grounds, sources fami…
White House Officials Told to Surrender Phones
“Chief of staff Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump’s closest aide, and FBI Director Kash Patel helped personally orchestrate a sprawling investigation last week at the White House aimed at determining who in the government leaked information about the security deficiencies of a Qatari-gifted airplane meant to be used as Air Force One – with some […]
White House officials have been ordered to turn over their mobile devices to investigators on behalf of President Trump. The dramatic demand comes as part of a wide-ranging and intensive investigation into leaks that has rocked the US administration in recent days. Chief of Staff Susie Wales and FBI Director Kash Patel are personally leading the effort to track down the leakers. The two have set up what sources have described as a West Wing “w…
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