Three White House officials told The Daily Beast that Chief of Staff Reince Priebus has privately expressed worry about a possible Comey memo specifically involving one of their reported chats, and how it might play in the press and to investigators.

“Nervous laughter,” one official succinctly characterized Priebus’ demeanor in the midst of recent revelations…

Senior Trump aides recounted to The Daily Beast the shockwaves and “sustained panic,” as one official described it, that news of the initial Comey memo sent through the administration and Trump’s political inner circle. Along with the chaos and continued frustrations that came with attempting to manage the fallout, there was an immediate unease expressed by senior staffers, including Priebus, that more damning memos could be revealed in the coming weeks, if not days.

These officials spoke on the condition of anonymity so as to speak freely.
“Reince is worried about leaks, since elements in the FBI seem determined to wage this war in the press,” a White House staffer said. “Initially the concern was about public perception—trying to get Russia out of the headlines—but it’s looking more like this will be a drawn out legal battle too, even if [Trump associates are] eventually exonerated.”