Donald Trump’s top national security adviser said the president signed an executive order this week on election meddling to show he has “taken command” of the matter. But this time, the White House broke from its practice of using such directives to make a public splash, instead keeping the event from the public and press.

The president himself has frequently called for reporters and photographers to be allowed into events he thinks will help his media narrative — even when his public schedule did not call for journalists in the room. This time, on the morning of the signing, his public schedule was empty until an 11:30 a.m. intelligence briefing.

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A White House spokeswoman did not respond when asked to explain why the meddling order was signed without journalists in the room and why the White House has yet to release a photo of the president putting pen to paper. Later in the afternoon, when the White House released its “photos of the week,” there was no shot of Trump signing the order.

But a former Obama White House communications aide on Friday said the message from the president and his team is clear.