Top White House director of strategic communications Mercedes Schlapp reportedly referred to White House communications aide Kelly Sadler as a “bitch,” after Sadler accused Schlapp of leaking to the press.
The remark by Schlapp was made following a meeting in the Oval Office where President Trump, chief of staff John Kelly, principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah were all present, along with Sadler and Schlapp.
During the meeting, Sadler accused Schlapp of telling the press that Sadler made disparaging comments about Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., during a private staff meeting. Two anonymous sources told the Daily Beast that Schlapp remained angry and, shortly after the meeting, referred to her colleague as a “bitch.”
Schlapp denied using the derogatory term.
“I have never used that word to describe anyone on the White House staff,” Schlapp said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “This smear by anonymous sources is not fit for print by any reputable news outlet. The leakers should be more concerned about promoting the president’s agenda than trying to take down fellow members of the team.”
The reported confrontation occurred after Schlapp declared last week, “I stand with Kelly Sadler” during a closed-door meeting, in response to calls for Sadler to step down after she mocked McCain’s brain cancer.
