Embattled White House communications aide Kelly Sadler accused Mercedes Schlapp, a more senior communications official, of being “one of the worst leakers” in an oval office meeting with President Trump, according to a new report.
Axios reports the open-door meeting was convened by Trump and was attended by Sadler, Schlapp, White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah, and White House chief of staff John Kelly. During the meeting, the president informed Sadler that she would not be fired for her leaked remarks joking about Sen. John McCain “dying,” and then told Sadler he wanted to know who the leakers in the White House were — to which Sadler responded that she thought Schlapp was one of the worst leakers. Sadler then named other people she suspected of being leakers in White House.
Schlapp, the White House director of strategic communication, “pushed back aggressively and defended herself in the room,” according to the report, and other colleagues defended her against Sadler’s claim in follow up conversations.
The most recent confrontation happened after Schlapp declared “I stand with Kelly Sadler” during a close-door meeting, in response to outcry over the joke about McCain, who is battling brain cancer.
Last week it was reported that Trump is seeking to reduce the number of leaks from the White House by removing some mid-level and junior communications staffers.
