Nicolai Haugsted
Trump launches sweeping probe after security secret reaches the media.
Donald Trump’s return from the NATO summit has reportedly triggered an extraordinary internal hunt inside the White House after sensitive information about Air Force One security reached the public.
According to CNN, the leak prompted a sweeping investigation that unsettled officials across the administration and even drew the direct involvement of some of Trump’s closest advisers.
Phones reportedly seized during leak investigation
The investigation was launched after reports revealed that Trump abandoned plans to use his controversial new Air Force One aircraft, donated by Qatar, for the flight home from the NATO summit in Turkey.
The New York Times reported that Secret Service had warned against using the aircraft because of security concerns, forcing the president to switch back to the older Air Force One.
CNN now reports that White House officials were ordered to surrender their mobile phones as investigators searched for the source of the leak.
Everyone connected to the Turkey trip was reportedly scrutinized, although some staff members are said to have refused to hand over their devices.
The network also reports that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and FBI Director Kash Patel became personally involved as the investigation intensified.
White House calls leak a national security threat
The administration has defended its response, arguing that the disclosure endangered not only the president but everyone traveling with him.
In a statement provided to CNN, the White House said:
“Leaks that endanger the safety of the President, staff, and the traveling press corps are dangerous and are a threat to national security.”
The statement continued:
“The White House takes these leaks very seriously and will do everything to ensure that those involved are caught and that it never happens again.”
Journalists subpoenaed
The fallout has not been limited to White House staff.
According to the report, the journalists behind the article detailing the security concerns surrounding Trump’s new aircraft have since been subpoenaed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Authorities are reportedly seeking to compel the reporters to reveal the confidential sources behind the story, adding another layer to a controversy that has quickly expanded beyond the aircraft itself.
