Trump schedule leak brings 'chaos' to the White House: 'People inside are genuinely scared'


One of the most stunning leaks out of President Trump's administration has returned the White House to a state of paranoia.
Axios on Sunday published months of Trump's private schedule, with 95 pages of documents showing that the president spends about 60 percent of his time devoted to unstructured "Executive Time." This leak "set off internal finger-pointing and speculation more fevered than any since The New York Times' anonymous op-ed," Axios reported Monday, also citing insiders as saying the document release "sowed chaos."
There have been plenty of leaks out of the White House, to be sure, some of which have inspired the staff to desperately hunt for who could have been responsible. But this one was far more severe than usual, as Cliff Sims, the former White House aide who recently authored the tell-all book Team of Vipers, told Axios. "There are leaks, and then there are leaks," he said. "If most are involuntary manslaughter, this was premeditated murder. People inside are genuinely scared." Daily Mail's David Martosko similarly reports, "I'm told this has the West Wing rattled, moreso than the usual petty leaking."
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.
This reaction can be gleaned even just from the White House's strong pushback, with Director of Office Operations Madeleine Westerhout writing that it's "a disgraceful breach of trust to leak schedules." White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, meanwhile, defended Trump's Executive Time schedule by saying that this time is "to allow for a more creative environment that has helped make him the most productive president in modern history."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Frauds: ‘fantastically stylish’ crime heist caper is a ‘triumph’
The Week Recommends Suranne Jones and Jodie Whittaker play a pair of ex-cons planning one last job
-
The struggles of Aston Martin
In the Spotlight The car manufacturer, famous for its association with the James Bond franchise, is ‘running out of road’
-
The end of ‘golden ticket’ asylum rights
The Explainer Refugees lose automatic right to bring family over and must ‘earn’ indefinite right to remain
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies