Grab the popcorn, folks, Donald Trump's lawyers are trying to impose some discipline and structure on Donald Trump's White House and it's what might be described as full catastrophe living (my apologies to Jon Kabat-Zinn for hijacking his phrase).
First, Trump's lawyers are trying to isolate him from his family members. Second, they're working to draw boundaries around who is privy to what information in a White House that leaks like a sieve. Third, they're attempting to moderate Trump's impulses. Ha. Haha. Hahahahahahaha. ROFLOL. Politico's Josh Dawsey writes:
Trump's legal team is attempting to separate the president from Donald Trump Jr. and the son's legal team on Russia matters, as well as from Jared Kushner and his legal team, over concerns that the blurred lines could create unnecessary problems, according to these sources. They have tried to block Trump's warring band of aides from joining meetings with his lawyers, warning that they could become witnesses or be forced to hire lawyers if they attend.
Trump, known for his freewheeling governing style, similarly wants many people in the room for such meetings and will sometimes ask lawyers for advice about people they do not represent, two West Wing aides said. At the same time, most West Wing aides don't yet have lawyers and have sometimes asked lawyers not representing them for guidance.
Meanwhile, the lawyers who signed on to wrangling this goat rodeo are shocked—shocked!—at what a disaster zone Trump's White House is.
The lawyers — particularly [Marc] Kasowitz — have been taken aback by the infighting in the West Wing, people familiar with their thinking say. And they have been frustrated that they often learn about big developments just before they happen, as they did on Saturday with The New York Times story on Trump Jr.'s meeting with a person he believed to be a Russian government attorney.
Trump's lawyers had no idea the story was posting until that afternoon — and learned of the president’s role in crafting Donald Jr.’s first statement on Air Force One only after a subsequent piece was published on Tuesday.
Oh, hey, the smoking gun everyone has been looking for—that's just about to publish. Guess we could have told you sooner. But don't worry, we brought the gun to the pr*sident first, so he could put his prints all over it.
What has frustrated Kasowitz and the team, people familiar with the matter say, is that members of Trump's family are always there and giving their own advice. Kasowitz has grown frustrated with Kushner at times, and vice versa, sources said. The New York Times first reported on the tension Tuesday evening.
Many of the problems come from Trump, who assures his legal team that he understands their advice but then disregards it, several White House officials and advisers said. "They say, don't do this, don't do that, and then he tweets," one White House adviser said. "And then the conversation happens again."
Turns out Trump's a handful. Who could've known?