Trump asks Jeff Sessions to investigate author of anonymous New York Times op-ed

Donald Trump said Friday he wants Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate and uncover the identity of the senior administration official who penned an anonymous op-ed in The New York Times this week that criticised the US president as reckless.

Trump has demanded that The New York Times disclose the author of the essay, described by the newspaper as a senior administration official.

The writer said aides had been working to thwart decisions by the president they deemed misguided. Trump said revealing the writer's name was in the interests of national security.

The op-ed ashed the President as amoral and claimed there is a "resistance" within the administration. The essay has enraged Trump and touched off a furious search inside the administration for its author.

"I would say (Attorney General) Jeff should be investigating who the author of that piece was because I really believe it's national security," Trump told reporters.

Trump has called it a treason and said that he is looking into the possibility of an action against the top American daily.

"I'm looking at that right now. It only happened yesterday," he said in response to a question.

"Supposing I have a high level national security, and he has got a clearance, we talked about clearances a lot recently, 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," he said.

Trump said that it is a disgrace that somebody can publish an anonymous article.

"I think it's more disgraceful that the New York Times would do it. That somebody is allowed to do that is very sad commentary, he said.