Tempest over Trump-Putin call turns into uproar over leaks

In this March 20, 2018 photo, President Donald Trump speaks to the National Republican Congressional Committee March Dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington. The tempest over President Donald Trump's congratulatory phone call to Russia's Vladimir Putin is quickly evolving into an uproar over a White House leak about the call. The leak has sparked an internal investigation and speculation over who might be the next person forced out of the West Wing. The White House says in a statement it would be a "fireable offense and likely illegal" to leak Trump's briefing papers to the press.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
In this March 20, 2018 photo, President Donald Trump speaks to the National Republican Congressional Committee March Dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington. The tempest over President Donald Trump's congratulatory phone call to Russia's Vladimir Putin is quickly evolving into an uproar over a White House leak about the call. The leak has sparked an internal investigation and speculation over who might be the next person forced out of the West Wing. The White House says in a statement it would be a "fireable offense and likely illegal" to leak Trump's briefing papers to the press. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) - The tempest over President Donald Trump's congratulatory phone call to Vladimir Putin quickly grew on Wednesday into an uproar over White House leaks, sparking an internal investigation and speculation over who might be the next person Trump forces out of the West Wing.

The White House said in a statement it would be a "fireable offense and likely illegal" to leak Trump's briefing papers to the press, after word emerged the president had been warned in briefing materials not to congratulate the Russian president on his re-election.

Trump did so anyway, and on Wednesday he defended the call, saying George W. Bush did not have the "smarts" to work with Putin, and Barack Obama and his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, "didn't have the energy or chemistry" with the Russian leader.

The document had been accessible only to a select group of staffers, two officials said, and had been drafted by aides to National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. They also said there now is an internal probe of the leak but provided no other details. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. The White House is not formally acknowledging the veracity of the presidential guidance first reported by the Washington Post.

The White House statement earlier Wednesday about a possible firing was an unusual threat and an indication of the seriousness with which the administration is treating the latest breach.

Trump has said maintaining a strong personal relationship with Putin is the United States' best chance of improving ties with Russia and has signaled to allies that he trusts his own instincts in dealing with the Russian president.

Other leaks of classified material - including partial transcripts of Trump's calls with foreign leaders - have not garnered specific warnings of termination or criminal action. It was not clear whether this week's document was classified, but it was included with other classified papers.

Trump's call of congratulations to Putin drew bruising criticism from members of his own party even before the revelation that he was advised against it.

"An American president does not lead the free world by congratulating dictators on winning sham elections," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee and has pressed the Trump administration to respond aggressively to Russia's interference in the U.S. presidential election.

The call was the latest indicator of Trump's reluctance to publicly criticize Putin. The White House said Trump did not raise Russia's meddling in the U.S. elections or its suspected involvement in the recent poisoning of a former spy in Britain in the call with Putin. Trump did discuss the attack against Sergei Skripal Wednesday in a call with French President Emmanuel Macron.