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National

President Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, has told several White House staffers he's fed specific nuggets of information to suspected leakers to see if they pass them on to reporters — a trap that would confirm his suspicions. "Meadows told me he was doing that," said one former White House official. "I don't know if it ever worked."

Why it matters: This hunt for leakers has put some White House staffers on edge, with multiple officials telling Axios that Meadows has been unusually vocal about his tactics. So far, he's caught only one person, for a minor leak.

The big picture: Trump has made clear to Meadows that an important part of his job is to "find the leakers" — a wickedly difficult task that has plagued all three of Meadows' predecessors.

Trump is especially furious about two recent leaks of classified and sensitive information.

As Politico first reported, the administration has interviewed people with access to the intelligence that the Russians were paying the Taliban bounties to kill American soldiers. A senior White House official confirmed Politico's reporting that they have narrowed down the list of suspects to fewer than 10 people. 

Trump was also enraged when the New York Times reported that the Secret Service rushed him down to the bunker during the protests outside the White House.

So far, Meadows has yet to deliver on either of these high-priority leak hunts. A source familiar with Meadows' thinking said he is "focused on national security leaks and could care less about the palace intrigue stories." 

On a recent podcast with Ted Cruz, however, Meadows said they tracked down and fired a federal employee who leaked information about a White House social media executive order.

Between the lines: Meadows, Trump's fourth chief of staff in three and a half years, faces the same problem all of his predecessors face: In the leakiest White House in modern history, how does one possibly satisfy a president who has privately said he feels like he's surrounded by snakes?

All of Trump's chiefs have tried to stop the leaks, with no success, but perhaps nobody tried harder than Mick Mulvaney. 

Mulvaney never netted the sort of catch Trump wanted. A former White House official said the one time Mulvaney did take evidence to Trump that he presented as damaging, the president dismissed it. 

In January, Mulvaney asked the White House's IT department to search the work cellphone records of senior staff. His office gave the IT department the cell phone numbers of the top reporters who cover the White House.

After getting back the spreadsheet and finding senior staff contacts with reporters to be mostly unremarkable, Mulvaney zeroed in on what he thought were some unusual phone calls for White House Counsel Pat Cipollone.

Mulvaney, who had been in a bitter feud with Cipollone, had already told Trump he thought the White House counsel was a leaker.

When he'd made those accusations, Trump replied, "The guy doesn't even talk to the press. Never has," said a source familiar with their interactions.

The spreadsheet the IT department produced for Mulvaney in mid-January showed that Cipollone had multiple phone calls with the New York Times' Maggie Haberman and CNN's Pamela Brown. But when Mulvaney presented this information to the president, Trump brushed it off and did nothing about it, the former official said.

A former administration official familiar with the impeachment defense defended Cipollone. "Pat was encouraged by the president to talk with the media because the president viewed him as a strong advocate on his behalf. This was part of a coordinated effort.

"It's important to note Pat made all of these calls from his official phone," the former official added. "If he was leaking do you really think he’d be doing it from his official phone?"

Told of this incident, Chris Whipple, presidential historian who wrote the definitive book on White House chiefs of staff, called it "unprecedented." 

"It's a level of paranoia that we never even saw in the Nixon White House," said Whipple, whose forthcoming book is "The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future."

Behind the scenes: Trump went into a fury about leakers in late 2019 and early 2020. Trump told multiple members of staff it was a high priority to find "Anonymous," the senior administration official who wrote a viral New York Times op-ed and later a bestselling book describing Trump as dangerously unfit and unstable.

The White House procured authorship attribution software to match Anonymous' writing style against internal writing samples from current administration officials. But the software was difficult to use and the effort failed, according to a senior administration official.

Meanwhile, Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro launched his own personal hunt for Anonymous. 

Navarro's investigation culminated in a lengthy memo citing stylistic analysis, biographical information, a Reddit post and a defunct blog to allege that the author was former national security staffer Victoria Coates. She vehemently denied the charge and retained counsel. No one ever went on record accusing Coates and the White House put a senior administration official on background saying leadership didn't put any stock in the rumors.

Literary agent Matt Latimer, whose firm brokered the book deal, said Coates is not the author.  National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said Coates "has served the president loyally since the earliest days of the administration."

Coates is now senior policy adviser to Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette and special energy representative to the Middle East.

Other highlights of the White House's leak hunts include former press secretary Sean Spicer forcing his own staff to dump their phones on a table for an impromptu phone search — an interrogation that itself immediately leaked. 

And former communications director Anthony Scaramucci famously threatened to fire all the leakers, but at the same time... well this Vox headline sums it up: "Anthony Scaramucci leaked that he would fire a press aide, then complained about the leak."

The bottom line: Over the past three and a half years, Trump's White House has been in a persistent state of flux, but one constant has remained — he persistently urges his top aides to "either 'find the leakers' or 'find the f---ing leakers,'" as one senior White House official put it.

In early December, Trump told a senior White House staffer it would be "a better use of your time to stay here and find f---ing Anonymous" rather than join the president on his trip to London for the NATO summit, according to a source familiar with the exchange.

The staffer went on the trip, nonetheless. Seven months later, Anonymous is still at large.

"Leaks drive presidents crazy," Whipple said. "They always have and they always will. But one thing that effective chiefs of staff figure out is that the way you prevent leaks is not by tapping people's phones or threatening to ruin them. 

"The way you prevent leaks is by running an effective White House staff where voices are heard and people feel they have a stake in the process and there's some integrity.

"I know that may all sound Pollyanna-ish," Whipple added, "but that's really the way you prevent leaks.

"And the way you encourage them is by doing lunatic things like trying to monitor their calls and ferret them out and threaten to ruin them. So it's just counterproductive."

After we got off the phone, Whipple texted a final thought: "A good chief of staff knows that the best way to prevent damaging leaks is to stop doing illegal, stupid stuff. You don't have to be James Baker to figure that out."

Go deeper: Why do leakers leak? I'm glad you asked.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional information about the search for Anonymous.

Scoop: How the White House is trying to trap leakers

Illustration of a big hand with a magnifying glass inspecting a leaking White House.

Politics

Inside the White House

Politics & Policy

At least 11 Republican congressional nominees have publicly supported or defended the QAnon conspiracy theory movement or some of its tenets — and more aligned with the movement may still find a way onto ballots this year.

Why it matters: Their progress shows how a fringe online forum built on unsubstantiated claims and flagged as a threat by the FBI is seeking a foothold in the U.S. political mainstream.

QAnon is a far-right conspiracy theory that purports without proof that posts by an anonymous internet user from within the federal government are alluding to a secret war that the "deep state" is waging against President Trump. 

Driving the news: At least two candidates were positioned to win seats in November.

Lauren Boebert, a first-time candidate, gun-rights activist and QAnon supporter, defeated five-term Rep. Scott Tipton in Colorado's June 30 Republican primary for the 3rd congressional district. Trump had endorsed Tipton.

Boebert said in May she hopes QAnon "is real because it only means America is getting stronger and better and people are returning to conservative values," which she supports. 

In a statement, the National Republican Congressional Committee said that the district "is a Republican seat and will remain a Republican seat."

Boebert told Axios she does not follow QAnon but is "glad the IG and the AG are investigating deep state activities that undermine the President."

Marjorie Taylor Greene emerged from last month's primary as the frontrunner heading into an August runoff for the Republican nomination for Georgia's 14th Congressional District, which is rated solidly Republican. She called Q a "patriot" in a 30-minute video in which she also professes the theory.

As Politico reported, House Republican leaders distanced themselves from Greene, who also has made Islamophobic, racist and anti-Semitic remarks.

After her rhetoric came under greater scrutiny, establishment Republicans have pushed to shift support to her runoff opponent, John Cowan, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Several other Republican congressional candidates with QAnon ties are running in solidly Democratic districts. Six of them bested competitors in contested primaries.    

Angela Stanton-King, Georgia, 5th congressional district: On Instagram, Stanton-King posted a 12-minute video from a well-known QAnon promoter, who states "those who are corrupting our world" will be "permanently eradicated from the Earth." Her primary was uncontested.

She received a pardon from President Trump on Feb. 18, for her 2004 conviction on federal conspiracy charges involving an auto theft ring, the AJC reports.

Mike Cargile, California, 35th congressional district: Cargile's Twitter bio includes the "#WWG1WGA" hashtag, which stands for the QAnon motto “Where We Go One We Go All.” Cargile finished second in California's "top two" primary system to Democratic incumbent Rep. Norma Torres, whom he will face in November. He told Axios: "Only a fool would look at the Washington landscape and conclude that the President has no enemies inside the beltway."

Erin Cruz, California, 36th congressional district: Cruz told NBC News in 2019 that people who believe in the theory have "legitimate concerns." She finished second in the primary and will face Democratic incumbent Rep. Raul Ruiz.

Alison Hayden, California, 15th congressional district: Hayden has promoted the theory on her campaign Twitter account and has repeatedly tweeted the QAnon-connected hashtag “#GreatAwakening.” She defeated five other candidates and finished second in the primary for the right to face incumbent Rep. Eric Swalwell.

Johnny Teague, Texas, 9th congressional district: On a campaign account which has since been deleted, Teague retweeted a video of QAnon supporters reciting an oath associated with the conspiracy theory, according to Media Matters. He defeated two other candidates for the nomination.

Rob Weber, Ohio, 9th congressional district: Weber tweeted congratulations to a Twitter user for being "17’d," a reference to the 17th letter of the alphabet, Q. He defeated three other candidates for the nomination.

Philanise White, Illinois, 1st congressional district: White has tweeted the #WWG1WGA hashtag on multiple occasions. She ran uncontested for the nomination.

Theresa Raborn, Illinois, 2nd congressional district: Raborn retweeted a video of former national security adviser Michael Flynn reciting an oath associated with the conspiracy theory, adding the #WWG1WGA hashtag. She ran unopposed for the nomination.

Billy Prempeh, New Jersey, 9th congressional district: Prempeh uploaded a photo of himself posing with a “Q” flag on his campaign Facebook page, adding the motto "Where We Go One We Go All.” He beat one other candidate for the nomination.

Jo Rae Perkins, Oregon: The Republican U.S. Senate nominee recited the oath in a video posted on her campaign Twitter account. She beat three other candidates for the nomination. She told Axios that she believes QAnon is a news source that she uses for "connecting the dots" and "getting information that the mainstream media, generally, does not post."

Of note: Buzz Patterson, who finished second in the primary for California's 7th congressional district and will face Democratic incumbent Rep. Ami Bera, tweeted "Yep!" in response to whether he supports the Q movement. 

Patterson told Axios that he does not recall sending the tweet about the theory and does not "follow or endorse anything he/she/them say."

Axios contacted each campaign and only received responses from Boebert, Cargile, Patterson and Perkins.

Between the lines: Trump has retweeted QAnon Twitter accounts on multiple occasions, while his son Eric Trump has promoted the theory in Instagram posts, Forbes reports.

A number of independent or write-in candidates who have supported the conspiracy theory will also appear on ballots in November.

Go deeper ... The science of conspiracies: Where Flat Earth meets Pizzagate

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that California has a "top two" primary system and that several of the Republican candidates finished second.

11 GOP congressional nominees support QAnon conspiracy

A fringe movement is gaining a foothold in the U.S. political mainstream.

Lauren Boebert posing in her restaurant in Rifle, Colorado, on April 24.

Lauren Boebert posing in her restaurant in Rifle, Colorado, on April 24. Photo: Emily Kask/AFP

2020 elections

2020 election

Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) tweeted Sunday that he will grant Democrats' request to call former special counsel Robert Mueller to testify before his committee.

The big picture: The announcement comes on the heels of Mueller publishing an op-ed in the Washington Post that defended the Russia investigation and conviction of Roger Stone, whose sentence was commuted by President Trump on Friday.

Mueller testified to the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees in July last year, following the release of his 448-page report to Congress. The 75-year-old former FBI director was criticized for appearing confused and unfamiliar with some aspects of the report.

Graham, who is leading one of several investigations into the origins of the Russia probe and alleged misconduct by the FBI, has previously said that he's "done with the Mueller report" and wants to move on.

What he's saying: "Apparently Mr. Mueller is willing - and also capable - of defending the Mueller investigation through an oped in the Washington Post." Graham tweeted.

"Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have previously requested Mr. Mueller appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify about his investigation." 

Go deeper: Robert Mueller speaks out on Roger Stone commutation

Lindsey Graham says he will ask Mueller to testify before Senate

Mueller published an op-ed on Saturday defending the conviction of Roger Stone.

Lindsey Graham

Data: Covid Tracking Project; Chart: Axios Visuals

Florida reported 15,299 confirmed coronavirus cases on Sunday — a new single-day record for any state, according to its health department.

The big picture: The figure shatters both Florida's previous record of 11,458 new cases and the single-state record of 11,694 set by California last week, according to AP. It also surpasses New York's daily peak of 11,571 new cases in April, and comes just a day after Disney World reopened in Orlando.

Worth noting: More than a dozen states have reported new highs for daily case numbers this week.

The country's alarming rise in cases isn't just due to increased testing — particularly where the number of cases has grown fastest over the last month, Axios' Andrew Witherspoon and Caitlin Owens report.

Go deeper: We're losing the war on the coronavirus

Florida smashes single-day record for new coronavirus cases

It comes just a day after Disney World reopened in Orlando.

Health Care

Florida

Coronavirus

The U.S. health system faces critical questions about cost, access and equity. Technological advances and new discoveries about diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s are transforming patient care and reshaping public health.

Health

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' aggressive push to fully reopen schools this fall is "malfeasance and dereliction of duty," accusing the Trump administration of "messing with the health of our children."

Why it matters: Trump has demanded that schools reopen as part of his efforts to juice the economy by allowing parents to return to work, despite caution from health officials that little is known about how the virus impacts children.

Even with the coronavirus outbreak spiraling out of control in several states, Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from schools that choose not to reopen and claimed Democrats want to keep schools closed past November for political reasons.

DeVos said on CNN prior to Pelosi's interview that CDC guidelines for reopening schools are "flexible," and stressed that "kids cannot afford to not continue learning."

What Pelosi is saying: "The president and his administration are messing with the health of our children. We all want our children to go back to school. Teachers do, parents do and children do. But they must go back safely."

Pelosi: Trump is "messing with the health of our children" with push to open schools

"They ignore science and they ignore governance in order to make this happen."

Axios

Sunday's top stories

Scoop: How the White House is trying to trap leakers

11 GOP congressional nominees support QAnon conspiracy

Lindsey Graham says he will ask Mueller to testify before Senate

Florida smashes single-day record for new coronavirus cases

Pelosi: Trump is "messing with the health of our children" with push to open schools

Betsy DeVos: Schools that don't reopen shouldn't get federal funds

Adam Schiff: "Republicans won't stand up for the rule of law"

Coronavirus testing czar: Lockdowns in hotspots "should be on the table"

Hundreds of thousands vote in Hong Kong's opposition primaries

Biden's doctrine: Erase Trump, re-embrace the world