Donald Trump's top-level Oval Office meetings are frequently disrupted as he takes phone calls from friends, makes small chat and turns 30-minute briefings with aides into catch-ups that span several hours, according to a new report.
NBC News reported that his haphazard style is creating chaos in his administration's operations.
Among Trump's regular phone contacts are Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship, and conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch. Officials report Trump saying things like "Let's call Rupert. Fox is killing me today" during meetings.
Trump even consulted Murdoch about the Israel-Iran conflict and potential U.S. involvement, demonstrating how personal relationships influence major policy decisions. Following these conversations, Trump eventually ordered military strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities in June.
This phone habit contributes to broader White House dysfunction. Meetings frequently run into each other, with attendees expecting 30-minute sessions sometimes trapped for hours.
"If you're in a meeting about [disaster] preparedness and the next meeting is about whatever, he'll say, 'Stick around,'" one senior administration official told NBC News.
Military leaders worry about "spillage" of sensitive information due to Trump's casual approach to meeting security. A notable incident occurred when Meta's Mark Zuckerberg walked unannounced into a meeting about the Air Force's planned F-47 fighter jet. A senior White House official described it as "bizarro world."
Trump's accessibility extends beyond scheduled calls. When The Atlantic attempted to interview him, reporters easily obtained his cellphone number and found Trump readily answered calls from unknown numbers — a significant security concern for any president.
An unnamed GOP senator told NBC that Trump's habits haven't changed from his first term, noting he "lives on the telephone."
“He likes to be called," he said. "In fact, last time I was with him, he said, ‘Why don’t you call me anymore?’ and I’m thinking, ‘Because I don’t have anything to say and, No. 2, because you’re the president and you’re busy,’”