Before President-elect Donald Trump even took office, his advisers were implementing a strategy to clamp down on leaks, according to a report from NBC News on Wednesday. The transition team is restructuring access to Trump, aiming to create a tightly controlled communication environment.
“In an effort to tighten the lines of communication with Trump, the transition team is cutting back on the number of top White House staff members given the designation of ‘assistant to the president,’ which provides a staffer the privilege of walking into the Oval Office and bringing nonstaff guests in to meet with the president,” reported Vaughn Hillyard, Jonathan Allen, Olympia Sonnier, and Jake Traylor.
The changes, spearheaded by Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff, are designed to bring greater discipline to the team. By limiting the number of people who have direct access to Trump, the strategy seeks to insulate him and control the flow of information reaching the Oval Office.
As part of the restructuring, some key positions are being denied the prestigious “assistant to the president” title. “Trump’s newly named legislative affairs director and political affairs director are among those not given the title; those positions typically have that designation,” the report stated. Instead, senior staff, including trusted aides Stephen Miller, Taylor Budowich, and Dan Scavino, will act as gatekeepers, filtering information and access to the president.
This move comes as Trump’s team reflects on the challenges of his previous term when leaks regularly exposed embarrassing details about internal operations. These leaks, such as those involving former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, disrupted the administration and caused significant fallout. Preventing similar issues has become a top priority for Trump’s advisers.
The effort to curb leaks extends beyond the White House. Trump’s allies in Congress have also voiced strong opinions on the matter. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) once remarked that leakers would “go to Hell,” adding, “If you dislike the president that much and you’re still working for him, you know, you don’t have a soul.”
As Trump prepares to return to the White House, the new strategy reflects his team’s focus on maintaining control and avoiding the pitfalls of his earlier administration. Whether this tighter system succeeds in eliminating leaks remains to be seen, but the message is clear: discipline and loyalty are the order of the day.