The Daily Caller’s White House correspondent, Saagar Enjeti, on Thursday slammed the anonymous senior administration official who published an op-ed criticizing 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 in The New York Times.

“That op-ed screams Republican elite who has sold their soul, so to speak,” Enjeti told Hill.TV "Rising" co-hosts Krystal Ball and Buck Sexton on "Rising."

“They talk about historic tax reform and an anti-trade agenda – this is really a 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, Mitt Romney Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneySenate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE acolyte who decided to take a cushy job in the administration,” he added, referring to the Speaker and former GOP presidential nominee.

In the op-ed, the unidentified author denounced Trump’s “anti-trade” and "anti-democratic" impulses, but praised some of his policies.



“There are bright spots that the near-ceaseless negative coverage of the administration fails to capture: effective deregulation, historic tax reform, a more robust military and more,” the official wrote.

But the author said these success have “come despite — not because of — the president’s leadership style.”

Shortly after the op-ed was published, Trump lashed out, questioning whether the author really existed. The president said if the source was real, they were “gutless” and demanded that they turn themselves over to government officials.

But The Times noted that such a disclosure would put the Trump administration official in jeopardy, adding that editor made the piece anonymous at the request of the author.

Speculation about the op-ed's author continues to build.

Vice President Mike Pence Michael (Mike) Richard PenceButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes Pence adviser knocks ex-staffer who criticized Trump on COVID-19 MORE to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoOvernight Defense: Pentagon redirects pandemic funding to defense contractors | US planning for full Afghanistan withdrawal by May | Anti-Trump GOP group puts ads in military papers Overnight Defense: House Democrats unveil stopgap spending measure to GOP opposition | Bill includes .6B for new subs | Trump issues Iran sanctions after world shrugs at US action at UN Navalny calls on Russia to return clothes he was wearing when he fell ill MORE have both denied any involvement with it.

— Tess Bonn