If Trump starts keeping his potential enemies any closer, we may learn of a California King bed in the West Wing.
After House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff hired Abigail Grace, a former career official at the National Security Council, Trump is worried Schiff is assembling a team of White House employees to gain an edge during investigations into whether foreign agents have exerted any influence on Trump and his administration.
Grace, a specialist on China and North Korea who speaks fluent Mandarin, served on the National Security Council from 2016 until last year. Though not a senior official, she knows the organization well according to insiders. Attempts to reach her by phone have been referred to a Democratic spokesperson for the panel.
While another, unnamed career employee detailed to the White House considers joining Schiff’s staff, Trump aides believe Schiff’s overtures to former White House employees show his desire for insider knowledge of the Trump White House from those who worked beneath the commander in chief himself.
Both Schiff and his spokesperson declined to comment. One anonymous official affiliated with the panel told Bloomberg that the committee hired staff for “a variety of reasons,” adding that the committee sought people prior National Security Council experience. Another Democratic official who asked not to be named balked at Trump’s fears, and said the hiring reflects the reality of changing roles for long-time government workers.
Trump took to twitter to vent his frustration early Thursday. “The Dems and their committees are going ‘nuts’,” Trump said. “Even stealing people who work at White House! A continuation of Witch Hunt!”
Wednesday, Trump complained of “presidential harassment” while discussing Schiff’s announcement of a new investigation a mere 12 hours after his state of the union address discouraged ongoing probes into his businesses and election.
It appears Schiff may have only just begun to harass Trump.