Trump launches 'real witch hunt' to retaliate against White House leakers in Woodward's book: report

CNN reported on Wednesday that President Donald Trump has launched a "real witch hunt" into White House staffers who may have spoken to Bob Woodward for his new book, which depicts an administration in chaos.

According to CNN's Jeff Zeleny, Trump is "privately on a mission to determine who did -- and didn't -- talk to Woodward."

Trump is reportedly grading his aides on how well they push back against accusations made in the book.

"He wants to know who talked to Woodward," one official told CNN.

Zeleny notes:

More broadly, the White House's emerging strategy to push back against Woodward's reporting seems to be going after those former officials suspected of sharing documents and stories, according to several people familiar with the game plan.

Vanity Fair's Gabriel Sherman reported on Wednesday that White House staffers are frustrated about Woodward's book because "everybody on the inside knows it's true."

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders has insisted that accounts in the book are untrue. It was not immediately clear why the White House would launch a so-called "witch hunt" into leaks that the administration claims are false.