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The list of potential writers of the damning report has been cut to just a handful of people, according to CNN. An insider said since the publication of the article, the President has become “obsessed” with identifying the “sick person” responsible. In the extraordinary New York Times column, a Trump official wrote: There were early whispers within the cabinet of invoking the 25th Amendment, which would start a complex process for removing the president. “But no one wanted to precipitate a constitutional crisis.

“So we will do what we can to steer the administration in the right direction until it’s over.” Agitated about the possibility of the writer having national security clearance, Trump is thought to fear they could leak classified information in future. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, he said: “Supposing I have a high-level national security meeting and he has got a clearance and he goes into a high-level meeting concerning China or Russia or North Korea or something. “I don't want him in those meetings.”

Donald Trump is thought to be close to finding anonymous source

The extraordinary column was said to be written by a 'senior official'

He added he was “looking at it very strongly from a legal standpoint”, in what may have been a reference to his threat to take court action against the New York Times to reveal the name of the writer. The New York Times described the author as: “A senior official in the Trump administration whose identity is known to us and whose job would be jeopardised by its disclosure.” The source drew a stunning picture of daily life at the White House. They claimed: “Senior officials will privately admit their daily disbelief at the commander in chief’s commands and actions.

Trump has demanded he be told the name of the author to protect national security