Topic: White House Leaks

Following a series of high-profile leaks, the hosts speculate that the White House Oval Office may be bugged. They discuss the possibility of the NSA or FBI conducting sweeps for modern surveillance devices. The conversation also touches on a military raid in Yemen, with claims from military circles that the targets may have been tipped off in advance.

Anthony Scaramucci details the internal power struggles he faced with Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon, who he claims tried to block his appointment to the White House. He describes Priebus as an establishment figure who filled the West Wing with RNC loyalists rather than Trump supporters. Scaramucci admits he mishandled his entry into the White House by aggressively targeting his rivals from day one.

Anthony Scaramucci critiques Steve Bannon's character, comparing his political decline to the "spitzerization" of Eliot Spitzer due to a lack of allies. He accuses Bannon of being a dishonest leaker and describes his own firing as the result of a "hot mic" incident that a journalist took out of context. Scaramucci maintains that Bannon's influence waned because he treated people as disposable.

Anthony Scaramucci argues that Donald Trump made a mistake by hiring Reince Priebus, whom he describes as a "cesspool operator" incapable of draining the swamp. He discusses the dramatic reduction in White House leaks following the departures of Priebus and Bannon. Scaramucci also touches on rumors of the Oval Office being bugged, noting that the room was completely dismantled and rebuilt in August 2017.

New York Magazine reports that President Trump and Sean Hannity speak frequently late at night. The level of detail in the reporting leads the hosts to speculate that the White House is heavily bugged by multiple intelligence agencies.

Following the departures of Scaramucci and Bannon, the hosts predict that Sebastian Gorka will be the next staffer to leave. They speculate he will follow the same pattern of providing a "scoop" to a left-leaning publication, such as Rolling Stone, to maintain the meme of being "upstaged" by the President.

President Trump expressed mixed support for chief strategist Steve Bannon, calling him a friend but noting he joined the campaign late. Speculation regarding Bannon's potential departure from the White House is linked to internal battles and accusations of leaking to the press. Additionally, a planned commemoration of the Nat Turner slave rebellion is discussed as fitting into the theme of modern societal frustration.

In his interview with Colbert, Anthony Scaramucci discussed his adversarial relationship with former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, whom he suspected of being a leaker. Scaramucci also reiterated his belief that Steve Bannon was responsible for unauthorized disclosures to the press. Despite the hostile environment, Scaramucci is noted for his ability to eventually charm the audience through self-deprecating humor and his "sales guy" persona.

Senator Dianne Feinstein expresses concern over intelligence leaks coming from the White House, specifically regarding the "kill list" and Stuxnet. She suggests that these leaks have jeopardized human assets. CNN contributor Peter Bergen is criticized for downplaying the scandal, with some suggesting he is a "stooge" for the administration.

A theory suggests the Obama administration's immigration policy shift was a deal with Senator Dianne Feinstein to protect California's agricultural labor force. In exchange for securing undocumented farm workers during harvest season, Feinstein allegedly backed off an investigation into White House intelligence leaks and the CIA's drone policy "kill list."

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney is criticized for his dismissive tone during briefings and an accidental admission regarding the administration's use of leaks. During a back-and-forth about secret meetings with Congress, Carney mentions "handfuls [of meetings] that we still haven't leaked," confirming the intentional placement of stories in the media.