WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump offered a mixed assessment of leaks from within his administration in a post on Twitter on Monday.
Trump accused the media of exaggerating the leaks from the White House, while at the same time condemning the leakers as 'traitors and cowards.'
'The so-called leaks coming out of the White House are a massive over exaggeration put out by the Fake News Media in order to make us look as bad as possible,' Trump said. 'With that being said, leakers are traitors and cowards, and we will find out who they are!'
The tweet from Trump comes after White House communications aide Kelly Sadler came under fire after a comment she made about Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., was leaked to the press.
During a closed-door White House meeting last week, Sadler reportedly suggested McCain's opposition to CIA nominee Gina Haspel does not matter because 'he's dying anyway.'
Reports said White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders berated the White House communications and press staff after Sadler's comments were leaked.
Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah suggested on Monday that leaks of private conservations have the potential to create a 'difficult work environment.'
'If you aren't able, in internal meetings, to speak your mind or convey thoughts or say anything that you feel without feeling like your colleagues will betray you, that creates a very difficult work environment,' Shah said. 'I think anybody who works anywhere can recognize that.'
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