White House Chief of Staff Wiles Threatens Staff With Termination Over Leaks

Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff, issued a directive in late March prohibiting Executive Office of the President staff from communicating with the news media without explicit approval from the White House Communications Office. The memo warned that unauthorized leaks would not be tolerated and could result in sanctions up to and including termination, citing the risk of disrupting operations and endangering missions of national significance. The internal crackdown was itself leaked to the press and published by Politico on May 8, 2026.

White House spokesperson Liz Huston defended the measure as a zero-tolerance policy intended to ensure the president's message is communicated accurately. The directive followed growing frustration over West Wing staffers using journalists to wage internal political battles, as well as leaks related to a downed U.S. military aircraft in Iran.

The leak crackdown adds to Wiles' broader efforts to tighten discipline within the administration, following a previous directive advising Cabinet members to limit international travel to focus on the domestic agenda. Wiles' own media interactions have drawn scrutiny, including a Vanity Fair profile in which she described President Donald Trump as having an alcoholic's personality, raising questions about the consistency of the zero-tolerance stance.