Trump lashes out at leaks, considers staff upheaval
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is assailing internal leaks as he considers an overhaul of his White House staff and grapples with a burgeoning crisis involving alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign.
Frustrated with what he views as his team's inability to push back against the drumbeat of new revelations, Trump is seeking expanded teams of lawyers and experienced public relations hands.
The latest reports hit close to the Oval Office, alleging that Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner proposed secret back-channel communications with Russia during the presidential transition.
Even when authorized, top officials in the Trump White House frequently request anonymity to brief reporters "on background," meaning their names will not be disclosed.
During the Monica Lewinsky investigation, the Clinton White House brought on a dedicated group of lawyers and a created a separate media operation to handle investigation-related inquiries so they didn't completely subsume the president's agenda.