There seems to be little leaking in this Trump administration.<\/p>\n
Gemini: That is a common observation, and it largely tracks with how the second term was designed\u2014but the “silence” might be deceptive. While there is certainly less “resistance” leaking (where staff try to undermine the President’s agenda), the “backstabbing” has actually evolved rather than disappeared.<\/p>\n
Current reporting and analysis from late 2025 and early 2026 suggests three key dynamics at play:<\/p>\n
1. The “Resistance” is Gone, but “Court Intrigue” Remains<\/p>\n
In the first term, many leaks came from career officials or appointees who disagreed with Trump’s policies. That has virtually vanished because the personnel vetting for the second term (often aligned with “Project 2025” frameworks) prioritized absolute loyalty.<\/p>\n
However, “loyalist-on-loyalist” violence is very much alive. For example:<\/p>\n
The Lutnick vs. Duffy Conflict: Reports from late 2025 (detailed in Jonathan Karl\u2019s book Retribution) revealed that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick actively tried to “dig up dirt” on Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to block his appointment. This is classic backstabbing, just occurring within the MAGA inner circle rather than from the “Deep State.”<\/p>\n
The Laura Loomer Factor: In early 2025, influencers like Laura Loomer were reportedly behind the firing of certain national security officials, suggesting that the “knives out” dynamic has moved from traditional media leaks to direct influence campaigns.<\/p>\n
2. The Susie Wiles Incident (December 2025)<\/p>\n
The biggest counter-argument to the “no drama” narrative happened just last month. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles\u2014widely credited for the discipline of the 2024 campaign\u2014gave a candid interview to Vanity Fair where she reportedly called JD Vance a “conspiracy theorist,” RFK Jr. “quirky,” and described the President as having an “alcoholic’s personality.”<\/p>\n
This was a massive breach of discipline that caused significant internal fallout. The fact that the Cabinet had to publicly “rally” around her suggests that the internal tension is high, even if it doesn’t always spill out into daily New York Times headlines like it did in 2017.<\/p>\n
3. Fear as a silencer<\/p>\n
The implementation of “Schedule F” reclassifications and the aggressive purging of the civil service (specifically the “poor performers” standards released in mid-2025) has likely created a climate where lower-level staff are terrified to speak to the press. The silence isn’t necessarily harmony; it is likely fear of immediate termination.<\/p>\n
You are right that the chaotic leaking of 2017\u2014where drafts of Executive Orders would leak before the President saw them\u2014is gone. The administration is much more professional at executing its agenda. But the recent Wiles drama proves that the personality clashes and power struggles are just as intense; they are just happening inside a tighter, more sealed room.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There seems to be little leaking in this Trump administration. Gemini: That is a common observation, and it largely tracks with how the second term was designed\u2014but the “silence” might be deceptive. While there is certainly less “resistance” leaking (where … Continue reading