+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

Fear and paranoia reportedly set in at the White House as staffers fear possibility of being spied on

Mar 15, 2017, 21:05 IST

Donald Trump in the Oval OfficeMark Wilson/Getty Images

The White House has become a "hostile environment," with staffers at all levels concerned that they are being spied on by fellow staffers and government bureaucrats, according to a Wednesday Politico report.

Advertisement

Almost a dozen White House staffers and federal agency employees told Politico that they are increasingly fearful of being exposed, embarrassed, or undermined by a "deep state" of career military and intelligence officials opposed to President Donald Trump's agenda or even by other Trump appointees and loyalists seeking influence.

"People are scared," a senior administration aide told Politico, adding that the White House had become "a pretty hostile environment to work in."

Aides are using encryption apps on their personal devices, turning off government-issued cell phones and putting them in drawers when they get home from work, refusing to speak up during meetings, and thinking twice about what they write and say on the phone.

"I'm paranoid," a Trump aide told Politico. "Anything significant seems to be on the front page the next day."

Advertisement

The fear of being surveilled-and of subsequent leaks to the press-stems from the highest levels of the White House and has intensified since Trump tweeted unsubstantiated claims that president Barack Obama wire tapped his phones in the run up to the election.

Last month, White House press secretary Sean Spicer instituted phone checks of his own staff in an attempt to identify internal leakers. Spicer has since said that the phone checks were a one-off and are not administration policy.

But much of the suspicion is directed towards the intelligence agencies, who Trump staffers believe are attempting to bring down appointees they don't like with damaging leaks. Some blame the Central Intelligence Agency for reports concerning National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's communications with the Russian ambassador, which helped lead to his resignation last month.

There is also a widespread belief among Trump officials that career agency employees loyal to Obama are working to undermine the administration.

"I wouldn't call it paranoia under the circumstances," a Republican, who uses encryption when talking with administration officials, told Politico. "It's not paranoia if people really are out to get you, and everybody actually is out to get everyone else."

Advertisement

NOW WATCH: A hacker explains why Trump using his old Android phone for Twitter could be a huge security threat

Please enable Javascript to watch this video
You are subscribed to notifications!
Looks like you've blocked notifications!
Next Article