Trump demands The New York Times 'turn over' anonymous source 'at once!'

Donald Trump. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

President Trump said Wednesday night he's not sure if the "senior administration official" who wrote an anonymous op-ed in The New York Times really exists, but if he does, this person needs to be turned over "to government at once!"

The Times published the op-ed on Wednesday afternoon, letting readers know that the writer's "job would be jeopardized" if his identity was revealed. The author called Trump's leadership style "petty" and "ineffective," and said several of his aides "are working diligently from within" to keep Trump from enacting some of his policies.

After tweeting about treason, Trump came back with more jabs at the Times and the unknown writer. "Does the so-called 'Senior Administration Official' really exist, or is it just the Failing New York Times with another phony source?" he asked on Twitter. "If the GUTLESS anonymous person does indeed exist, the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to government at once!" Politicos are scrambling to figure out who wrote the op-ed, with guesses ranging from counselor Kellyanne Conway to a speechwriter for Vice President Mike Pence to Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.