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White House staffers attempt to explain why they leak sensitive information on Trump administration
White House staffers have a variety of reasons for why they leak information, according to a new report. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

White House staffers attempt to explain why they leak sensitive information on Trump administration

The White House has a pack of "leakers" trying to rain on the parade of the Trump administration, the website Axios reported.

Why do they do it?

Personal vendettas, losing an argument in a meeting and working in an environment they describe as a "never ending Mexican standoff" are just some of their excuses.

"The most common substantive leaks are the result of someone losing an internal policy debate," a anonymous senior administration official told Axios. "By leaking the decision, the loser gets one last chance to kill it with blowback from the public, Congress, or even the president."

Working in the White House to "kind of like being in a never-ending 'Mexican Standoff,” the aide reportedly said.

"Everyone has guns (leaks) pointed at each other and it's only a matter of time before someone shoots. There's rarely a peaceful conclusion so you might as well shoot first," the official added.

Other officials attributed the spilling of administration secrets to "personal vendettas" or "to make sure there's an accurate record of what's really going on" in the West Wing.

Another reason is poor management.

“Bad managers almost always breed an unhappy workplace, which ultimately results in pervasive leaking," a former official said. "And there has been plenty of all those things inside this White House. Some people use leaking to settle personal scores, or even worse to attack the President, but for me it was always to make a point about something that I felt was being unjustly ignored by others."

Is leaking allowed?

The Axios report comes shortly after White House chief of staff John Kelly said leaks will not be allowed under his leadership.

"After about six weeks in [the] job one of the reporters said to me, 'Look you were our worst nightmare. This place was a clown show before you showed up. We didn't think this president would last a year, 18 months. Now that you're here, there's order to the place. The leaks all but went away,'" Kelly told NPR.

But on Thursday, a major leak appeared when someone put out the word that during a closed-door meeting, White House aide Kelly Sadler mocked the health of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who is battling brain cancer.

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