The effort to crack down on leaks was itself the subject of the latest in unauthorized corporate media communications after an email from a “very frustrated” Susie Wiles made headlines.
From the White House to the Pentagon and every federal office in between, President Donald Trump’s administration has worked to keep certain behind-the-scenes activity away from the media where necessary. The ongoing endeavor was evidently the subject of a March email from the White House chief of staff wherein Wiles made clear the consequences of unauthorized leaks.
According to a report by Politico’s West Wing Playbook, which had obtained the leaked email, Wiles insisted, “no staff member within the Executive Office of the President is permitted to speak with members of the news media without explicit approval of the White House Communications Office.”
“Unauthorized leaks will not be tolerated and are subject to sanction up to and including termination,” she added. “Violation of this policy can result in significant disruption to ongoing operations and can potentially endanger missions and activities of national significance.”
Going on to cite a “person familiar with the matter,” Politico’s insider said, “She was generally very frustrated with leaks.”
The outlet also made note of private instructions Wiles was said to have given to cabinet officials in April regarding their travels. According to the report, the key administration officials were “to avoid unnecessary international travel and remain focused on implementing Trump’s domestic agenda at home.”
The White House isn’t alone in fending off leaks, as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had taken steps to limit the considerable access the media long enjoyed at the Pentagon. While corporate media challenged the effort, government contractor Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones was charged with six felony violations of the Espionage Act in January after accessing classified information and providing it to The Washington Post’s Hannah Natanson.
She was said to have used the classified information in at least five articles between October 2025 and January 2026.
In a statement to Politico, White House spokesperson Liz Huston said regarding leaks, “There are hundreds of White House staffers faithfully serving the American people, all of whom are held to strict policies — including a zero-tolerance policy against speaking to the media without explicit authorization from the Communications Office — to ensure the President’s message is communicated clearly, accurately, and directly to the American people.”
Meanwhile, Wiles, currently dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis, was the recipient of the “Woman of Valor” award at the Independent Women’s 19th Awards Gala on Thursday. During the event, she addressed her relationship with the media and said, “You have to grow thick skin, which is not easy.”
“I can’t say I’ve succeeded there,” she added. “I resist the temptation to correct everything that’s wrong, because you’d spend all your day and night doing that. I stay off Twitter, because that makes me crazy when I see all that criticism. You just have to get up every day and do your job and not let the critics get to you. Easier said than done, but that is my way of operating.”
As to her own friends among reporters, Wiles expressed, “we keep it to friendship.”
