White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus made the media rounds this weekend to defend Donald Trump’s controversial statement that the “fake news” establishment media is “the enemy of the American people.” During a discussion with Fox News’ Chris Wallace on Sunday, Priebus gave some examples of the kind of “fake news” Trump was decrying, including the New York Times hit-piece suggesting that Team Trump was in contact with Russian intelligence agents.
Citing “top levels of the intelligence community,” Priebus said the Times’ report wasn’t just inaccurate, it was “complete garbage.”
“The New York Times, last week, put out an article with no direct sources that said that the Trump campaign had constant contacts with Russian spies, basically treasonous type accusations,” Priebus told Wallace. “I can assure you, and I’ve been approved to say this, that the top levels of the intelligence community have assured me that that story is not only inaccurate, but it’s grossly overstated and it was wrong and there is nothing to it. If I can say that to the American people then what does it say about the story.”
(Read the Daily Wire’s debunking of the Times story here.)
Priebus then cited the Wall Street Journal’s “totally inaccurate” story claiming the intelligence community was refusing to give Trump certain information.
“The next day, Chris, the Wall Street Journal puts out a story saying they have anonymous sources that say that the intelligence community is purposefully cutting out material from President Trump’s … briefing materials that he gets everyday,” said Priebus. “That proved to be untrue. All the agencies put out a statement saying it was totally inaccurate.”
At that point, Wallace cut in to press Priebus on the Times piece’s claim that the Trump campaign was “involved” with Russian agents.
“You say that the intelligence community says that there were no contacts between anyone in the Trump campaign, any associated of Mr. Trump and anybody involved as a Russian agent as to the campaign and collusion in the campaign with Russia…Is that what you’re saying?” asked Wallace.
“Yeah, they told me…absolutely,” answered Priebus. “They have made it very clear that that story in the New York Times is complete garbage. And quite frankly they used different words than that.”
Though Priebus told Wallace he could not give specific names, he reiterated that this is coming from “top level people.”
Priebus also appeared on Meet the Press with Chuck Todd on Sunday and asked “what alternative universe” the “Washington daily gossip rags” are reporting on because much of what they’re reporting “just isn’t true.”
“The amount of drama and spin that you read about mostly in the Washington daily gossip rags is unbelievable stuff. And it just isn’t true,” said Priebus. “You read it every day and you wonder what alternative universe they’re reporting on, because it just isn’t true.”
Below is the video and transcript of the exchange (via RCP)
TODD: I know you believe all of this is press-generated.
Do you not have a problem inside that West Wing with leaks yourself?
PRIEBUS: Look, if there is a problem there, those people will have big issues. But the truth is, is that we don’t have problems in the West Wing. I mean you read about all these stories about I don’t get along with Bannon and this one said — actually, we’ve really gelled as a team. And we get along great and we’re working well together. And the amount of drama and spin that you read about mostly in the Washington daily gossip rags is unbelievable stuff. And it just isn’t true.
And you read it every day and you wonder what alternative universe they’re reporting on, because it just isn’t true.
I think every West Wing has different personalities. You had Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, David Axelrod, you had Andy Card, Karl Rove. You always have different kinds of people. But it doesn’t mean that you don’t ultimately get along, serve the president and want to make the American people proud. That’s what we’re doing every day. That’s what we’re trying to do every day.