Trump is asking Sessions to weed out the deep stater in his administration, saying he doesn’t want whoever it is near his classified meetings:
NY POST – President Trump said Friday that he wants Attorney General Jeff Sessions to launch a federal investigation to flush out the identity of the author of an unflattering anonymous column by an administration official.
“We’re going to take a look at what he had, what he gave, what he’s talking about, also where he is right now,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Trump said it’s an issue of national security…
“I think it is national security. I would say Jeff should be investigating who the author of that piece is because I really believe it is national security.”
If the unnamed official has a high-level security clearance, the president said: “I don’t want him in those meetings.”
The Justice Department had no immediate comment, and it’s unclear what if any laws would apply in the case that would warrant a federal investigation — though Trump himself has called it “treason.”
I’ve heard people say this isn’t a national security issue, but I think Trump is right to be concerned about it in that regard. After all, he doesn’t know who is working against him or what issues they are targeting. And he also doesn’t know if they are being honest or not. And with respect to these high-level security clearance meetings, he should be protective. Absolutely.
Trump said he’s also looking at potential legal action against the Times:
Trump also said he was looking into potentially taking legal action against what he calls the “Failing New York Times, citing concerns about “national security.”
He said it was a “disgrace” for the newspaper to have published the op-ed from a senior administration official.
Now this I don’t think will fly. What the NY Times did may be disgraceful, however I don’t think it was illegal in any way. If they had released classified secrets, then sure. But this was just an anonymous op-ed admitting to a secret resistance. I don’t think they can be compelled legally to out the author.