DHS chief McAleenan scraps news conference with minutes to spare as leak charges fly

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan abruptly canceled a late afternoon press conference he had called earlier in the day amid crossfire over who leaked details of a pending immigration operation and an effort by senior administration officials to undermine him by branding him a liar.

DHS announced the briefing early Thursday morning and said McAleenan would discuss the "supplemental funding request for DHS and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the changes needed to the immigration legal framework to address the humanitarian and border security crisis."

Approximately 30 reporters and cameramen gathered inside a room at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, which also holds U.S. Customs and Border Protection's headquarters.

Moments before the briefing was slated to begin, a DHS spokesman said the event had been canceled because the department did not want McAleenan's comments to interfere with Capitol Hill negotiations for supplemental border funding, even though House action on the border had been strongly expected to take place Thursday because lawmakers are scheduled to head back to their districts Friday for a weeklong recess.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/dhs-chief-mcaleenan-scraps-news-conference-with-minutes-to-spare-as-leak-charges-fly