Key congressional allies of President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE are floating the idea that Congress could take steps to try and find out who wrote the anonymous op-ed in The New York Times disparaging the president.

That action could take the form of an investigation, legislation or hearings.

ADVERTISEMENT

told USA Today

. "It is alarming when you have people … that would suggest resistance to the president that they’re serving, especially in light of discussion that may go into the national security realm."

Sen. Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard PaulSecond GOP senator to quarantine after exposure to coronavirus GOP senator to quarantine after coronavirus exposure The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by National Industries for the Blind - Trump seeks to flip 'Rage' narrative; Dems block COVID-19 bill MORE (R-Ky.), a one-time presidential rival to Trump, suggested White House officials who hold a security clearance should undergo lie detector tests in an attempt to ferret out staffers speaking ill of the president.

And House Majority Whip Steve Scalise Stephen (Steve) Joseph ScaliseHouse GOP slated to unveil agenda ahead of election House panel details 'serious' concerns around Florida, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin elections Scalise hit with ethics complaint over doctored Barkan video MORE (R-La.) didn’t rule out the possibility of a congressional probe.

"I'm sure we have a number of members that are looking at it right now,” Scalise, the No. 3 Republican in House leadership, told The Hill.

Trump loyalists are enraged that there are administration officials working against the president, casting such agents as “cowards” and “spies” who should immediately resign. They have also lambasted The New York Times for printing an op-ed written by someone purportedly working as a senior administration official describing the actions of an internal resistance group.

But Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 At indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates MORE (R-Wis.) told reporters Thursday at his weekly news conference that he didn’t think Congress should be getting to the bottom of the op-ed mystery.

Asked if Congress has any role to investigate, Ryan replied: "Not that I know of."

Rep. Dennis Ross Dennis Alan RossRep. Ross Spano loses Florida GOP primary amid campaign finance scrutiny Israelis and Palestinians must realize that each needs to give, not just take Court opens door to annexing the West Bank — and the consequences could be disastrous MORE (R-Fla.), who serves on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, also poured cold water on the idea that Congress should get involved.

“Other than expressing your sentiment, there is little we can do, realistically," Ross told The Hill.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthyMcCarthy's Democratic challenger to launch first TV ad highlighting Air Force service as single mother Trump asked Chamber of Commerce to reconsider Democratic endorsements: report The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - White House moves closer to Pelosi on virus relief bill MORE (R-Calif.) — one of Trump’s closest allies on Capitol Hill and the frontrunner to become the next Speaker if Republicans retain control of the House — said the administration, not Congress, should investigate the matter.

“I think the White House should look into it,” he told The Hill on Thursday, while raising concerns that the anonymous official could continue working for the administration.

“I think that's a real problem if that person stays in the job they currently are in,” he said.

The op-ed author described Trump as erratic, ill-informed and amoral. The writer also described a group of “unsung heroes” in and around the White House who have aggressively worked to halt Trump’s “agenda and his worst inclinations.”

Trump has called on The New York Times to reveal the identity of the author, saying he or she may have committed treason.

“If the GUTLESS anonymous person does indeed exist, the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to government at once!” Trump tweeted.

Sebastian Gorka Sebastian Lukacs GorkaSunday shows preview: Trump, lawmakers weigh in on COVID-19, masks and school reopenings amid virus surge Trump taps Gorka for national security advisory board Sunday shows preview: Coronavirus poses questions about school safety; Trump commutes Roger Stone sentence MORE, former deputy assistant and strategist to Trump, told The Hill that treason is a very real possibility.

“There are only two possible scenarios given the current lack of credibility the New York Times is suffering form and the wording of the piece: 1) This is a complete fabrication. 2) It was written by the low-level Obama-era holdover, not a ‘senior official’ given the complete lack of any evidence in the piece demonstrating that this was written by a person working close to the President,” Gorka wrote in a text message.

“If it is the latter, then this is a textbook case of Sedition. And if this were 1917 or 1944 it would be Treason,” added Gorka, an opinion contributor to The Hill. “No one elected this person, as a result they have no choice but to dutifully serve the duly elected President. Or resign. If they don’t General Kelly will root them out and President Trump will fire them.”

Some GOP lawmakers close to Trump found themselves facing questions about the Times op-ed at an unrelated news conference at the Capitol on Thursday.

“I don’t believe that that person is doing a good service to faithfully execute their job and the performance of their duties," said GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin Lee ZeldinDCCC reserves new ad buys in competitive districts, adds new members to 'Red to Blue' program Overnight Defense: House panel probes Pompeo's convention speech | UN council rejects US demand to restore Iran sanctions | Court rules against Pentagon policy slowing expedited citizenship The Hill's 12:30 Report: Republicans conduct in-person convention roll call MORE, who has campaigned with Trump in their home state of New York. “That person should not be inside of the administration and they should submit their letter of resignation and move onto something else.”

But Zeldin would not say whether the writer had committed treason, as the president intimated.

Another Trump ally, Rep. Louie Gohmert Louis (Louie) Buller GohmertRep. Dan Meuser tests positive for COVID-19 Watchdog calls for probe into Gohmert 'disregarding public health guidance' on COVID-19 Massie plans to donate plasma after testing positive for COVID-19 antibodies MORE (R-Texas), interjected to say, “I think the job is called spy.”

Morgan Chalfant contributed.