Report: Trump suspects the New York Times op-ed writer works in national security or the Justice Department

An "absolutely livid" President Trump believes someone who works on national security issues or is part of the Justice Department is behind the anonymous New York Times op-ed published Wednesday that portrays Trump as behaving "in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic," The Washington Post reports.
Publicly, Trump has blasted the "failing New York Times" for running the op-ed, and White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called it "pathetic," "reckless," and "selfish." Inside the White House, Trump and his aides are frantically trying to figure out who is behind the op-ed, two people familiar with the matter told the Post, analyzing speech patterns and looking for clues to the author's identity. Trump reacted to the op-ed with "volcanic" anger and a friend of the president's told the Post that Trump now believes the only people he can trust now are his kids.
"The problem for the president is it could be so many people," one official said. "You can't rule it down to one person. Everyone is trying, but it's impossible." In a group text between Trump aides and outside allies, one participant said "the sleeper cells have awoken," and a former official told the Post the situation is "like the horror movies when everyone realizes the call is coming from inside the house." Read more about Trump's anger and paranoia, and how the White House's amateur detectives are frantically trying to figure out who wrote the op-ed, at The Washington Post.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Today's political cartoons - February 22, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - bricking it, I can buy myself flowers, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 exclusive cartoons about Trump and Putin negotiating peace
Cartoons Artists take on alternative timelines, missing participants, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The AI arms race
Talking Point The fixation on AI-powered economic growth risks drowning out concerns around the technology which have yet to be resolved
By The Week UK Published
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published