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White House probes leaking of Trump calls

White House spokesman Sean Spicer has told Fox News Channel President Donald Trump takes the leaking of his official phone conversations very seriously.

2 min read

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Source: AAP


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The White House is looking into how embarrassing details of President Donald Trump's tense phone conversations with counterparts in Australia and Mexico were leaked to news organisations.

"The president takes these leaks very seriously," White House spokesman Sean Spicer has told Fox News Channel ahead of a segment set to air on Saturday.

Trump cut short a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after an acrimonious discussion about a refugee swap deal, a conversation that threatened ties between the two allies after details appeared in The Washington Post.

In an earlier call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto about paying for a wall on the southern US border, Trump said he might send the US military to Mexico to stop drug cartels - details from a transcript obtained by a Mexican news organisation Aristegui Noticias and the Associated Press.

The White House later said the comments were meant to be lighthearted.

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"That's troubling and I think the president has asked the team to look into this because those are very serious implications," Spicer said.

Spicer described the conversations as "candid" but respectful and has noted that both the Australian and Mexican governments have disputed some of the details.

White House officials did not respond to requests for comment on the investigation into the leaks.

Trump told politicians and faith leaders at a prayer breakfast that he was having difficult conversations with world leaders as he worked to overhaul immigration rules.

"Believe me, when you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having - don't worry about it. Just don't worry about it," Trump told the leaders.


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