Trump shrugs off leak of his ample 'Executive Time,' which is good because Axios has a new batch of leaked calendars

The leak of President Trump's internal calendars showing he devoted 60 percent of this workday to unstructured "Executive Time" spooked the White House, and in response, "enraged White House officials" launched a mole hunt to catch the leaker, Axios reported Sunday, confirming a report in Politico. "This crackdown has not stopped the leaking," Axios notes, posting four new leaked private schedules that show Trump spent about half of last week in "Executive Time."
Trump indicated how much this betrayal is not "a source of repeated embarrassment" that has "infuriated" him, as Politico reported, by tweeting on Sunday that his leaked calendars "should have been reported as a positive, not negative. When the term Executive Time is used, I am generally working, not relaxing. In fact, I probably work more hours than almost any past president."
In fact, Vanity Fair's Gabriel Sherman reports, the leaking of the schedules, "which revealed how little work Trump actually does, was a signal of how disaffected his staff has become." The main problem, one former West Wing official told Sherman, is that "Trump is hated by everyone inside the White House." Sherman's 10 sources said Trump's management style, paranoia, penchant for blaming staff for problems he created, and increasing tendency to "run the West Wing as a family business," have left staff burned out and resentful, and several high profile aides are eying the exits, including Whit House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney.
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.
The Trump White House, of course, "has pledged to root out leakers in the past — most recently after a New York Times op-ed penned last year by a senior administration official identified only as 'part of the resistance inside the Trump administration,'" Politico notes. "In the wake of the op-ed's publication, the White House embarked on a search for the official that has yet to turn up the culprit."
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
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 8, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - trade wars, healthcare costs, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Marbled tea eggs recipe
The Week Recommends With a beautiful exterior, these eggs are also marked by their soft yolk
By The Week UK Published
-
The Washington Post: kowtowing to Trump?
Talking Point The newspaper's opinion editor has handed in his notice following edict from Jeff Bezos
By The Week UK Published
-
Trump eases Mexico, Canada tariffs again as markets slide
speed read The president suspended some of the 25% tariffs he imposed on Mexican and Canadian imports
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump tells Cabinet they are in charge of layoffs, not Musk
Speed Read The White House has faced mounting complaints about DOGE's sweeping cuts
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rep. Sylvester Turner dies, weeks after joining House
Speed Read The former Houston mayor and longtime state legislator left behind a final message for Trump: 'Don't mess with Medicaid'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pauses Ukraine intelligence sharing
Speed Read The decision is intended to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into peace negotiations with Vladimir Putin
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court rules against Trump on aid freeze
Speed Read The court rejected the president's request to freeze nearly $2 billion in payments for foreign humanitarian work
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump touts early wins in partisan speech to Congress
Speed Read The president said he is 'just getting started' with his sweeping changes to immigration, the economy and foreign policy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trudeau blasts Trump's 'very dumb' trade war
Speed Read Retaliatory measures have been announced by America's largest trading partners following Trump's tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine after public spat
Speed Read Trump and J.D. Vance berated Volodymyr Zelenskyy for what they saw as insufficient gratitude
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published