White House Briefed Reporters on Trump Aide’s Call Logs, Driving 1 'Weaponization' Narrative
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 11
White House Briefed Reporters on Trump Aide’s Call Logs, Driving 1 'Weaponization' Narrative
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 11
Summary
An Oct. 2 White House briefing previewed records from the Trump classified-documents case, including phone logs for top aide Susie Wiles, before the files were publicly released on Monday.
Those records largely contained already known details or procedural minutiae, but the administration highlighted them to cast the investigation into Trump’s document retention and obstruction as political "weaponization."
Conservative allies amplified that framing after mainstream outlets mostly ignored the release, and by Wednesday Trump was echoing it in the Oval Office after a question from Mike Lindell’s website.
John Solomon, a pro-Trump media figure serving as a White House special government employee, led the briefing, underscoring how the administration is using selective disclosures to shape the political narrative ahead of the midterms.