White House Witch Hunt: Officials Asked to Turn Over Phones as Susie Wiles and Kash Patel Lead Intensifying Leak Probe
Susie Wiles and Kash Patel were summoned to launch probe into White House leaks.
July 16 2026, Published 8:34 a.m. ET
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and FBI Director Kash Patel are leading a probe into leaks relating to the security deficiencies of Donald Trump's Qatari-gifted plane.
RadarOnline.com can reveal some officials have been ordered to hand in their phones to investigators on White House grounds as they attempt to find the culprits.
Patel Diverted To White House From Chicago Trip
Patel was due to be traveling to Chicago before being ordered back to White House.
The president was reportedly "furious" information about the plane, which was meant to be used as Air Force One, went public.
And investigators are now interrogating officials who traveled with the president.
According to CNN, at least one federal agency reached out to its employees via email to warn that if they were contacted by outside agencies or groups requesting information or devices, then they should contact their agency's attorneys.
Patel, who was preparing to travel to Chicago, was reportedly diverted to the White House on Friday to take a hands-on role in running the probe, which became public early the next morning when it reported the Justice Department had issued subpoenas to four of its journalists who reported on security concerns surrounding the new plane.
'Seven-Hour Meeting'
Wiles and Patel spent 'seven hours' locked in talks about exposing leak.
Patel and Wiles spent "seven hours" hatching a plan to find the leak.
A White House official told Newsmax: “Leaks that jeopardize the safety of the president, his staff, and the traveling press pool are dangerous and a threat to national security.
"The White House takes these leaks seriously and will do everything legally to ensure the individual or individuals are caught and it does not happen again."
Trump used the $400million Qatari-donated Air Force One jet to travel to the NATO summit in Turkey but left on an older Air Force One aircraft after receiving updated security assessments.
At a postsummit news conference, the president downplayed reports about security deficiencies with the new jet, saying it was going to "a couple of bases" in Europe "so the soldiers can see it, because it's truly magnificent."
Trump's Plane Switch
The president flew back from NATO summit in Turkey on older plane.
After Trump traveled to Turkey, the security assessment changed, and Wiles briefed the president that he would need to leave the country aboard the older aircraft.
The Qatari-donated plane had been quickly retrofitted with defensive capabilities but was not as secure as the older aircraft, which had been built specifically to protect presidents during overseas travel.
Trump switched back to the new jet at a secure U.S. base in the United Kingdom before returning to Washington, D.C.
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Trump was allegedly 'furious' over leaks regarding new plane.
One official previously described the Qatari 747 to CNN as having been "rushed" into presidential service — a judgment that stands in ironic contrast to the two new Boeing VC-25B aircraft acquired under a deal Trump renegotiated during his first term.
Those planes, equipped with the full suite of classified communications systems, defensive countermeasures, and specialized design requirements mandated by the military, are not expected to be ready for presidential use until at least 2028.
