New Trump chief of staff drew hard line during relief talks, challenging Democrats’ approach

Irritated by multiple leaks during the coronavirus relief negotiations, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi instituted a rule forbidding participants from bringing in their phones, so that talks couldn’t be recorded.

But on Wednesday, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows refused to surrender his device upon entering Pelosi’s office, insisting he had an important call to take, according to two people familiar with the episode who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe it.

Pelosi (D-Calif.) told Meadows that the phone had to go, or he did.

Still Meadows refused. Continue reading.