A leaked threat from Donald Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles warned she'd fire West Wing staff members who discussed the president's administration outside of a very close circle, Politico reported.
The internal warning told insiders they could be hit with immediate termination if they spoke to reporters.
Wiles, who caused a recent firestorm herself by talking with a Vanity Fair writer, is reportedly frustrated by loose-lipped members of the White House team spilling details about the administration.
The March email, obtained by Politico, declared that "no staff member within the Executive Office of the President is permitted to speak with members of the news media without the explicit approval of the White House Communications Office."
Wiles added that "unauthorized leaks will not be tolerated and are subject to sanction up to and including termination," warning that policy violations "can result in significant disruption to ongoing operations and can potentially endanger missions and activities of national significance."
The memo was driven by frustration with West Wing staffers who had been using journalists to wage internal political battles, a source told Politico. But the tipster stressed the crackdown didn't stem from one single incident.
"She was generally very frustrated with leaks," the source said.
The memo threatening consequences for unauthorized press contact was itself immediately leaked to the press.
White House spokesperson Liz Huston defended the policy in a statement to Politico, saying hundreds of White House staffers "are held to strict policies — including a zero-tolerance policy against speaking to the media without explicit authorization from the Communications Office — to ensure the President's message is communicated clearly, accurately, and directly to the American people."
Wiles' sprawling Vanity Fair profile published late last year generated enormous blowback after she described Trump as having an "alcoholic's personality" and offered sharp assessments of several top administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi.