Former officials warn of damage from leaked conversations

In the latest and perhaps most egregious sign of a U.S. administration that can't keep a lid on its private deliberations, The Washington Post this week published a written record of phone conversations between Trump and the leaders of Mexico and Australia.

On Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions pledged to rein in government leaks that he blamed for jeopardizing American security, after being called weak on leaks by Trump.

[...] White House adviser Kellyanne Conway raised the possibility of lie detector tests for the small number of people in the West Wing and elsewhere with access to transcripts of Trump's phone calls.

Experts and former U.S. officials also warn the leaks could add to mistrust among international partners grappling with Trump's unconventional approach to foreign policy, which includes at least one high-profile case of the U.S. president sharing the sensitive intelligence from a foreign ally.

"The risk is that our foreign counterparts no longer believe we are capable of keeping conversations, or even their intelligence, private," said Jon Finer, who was Secretary of State John Kerry's chief of staff during President Barack Obama's second term.

Photos showing crime scene evidence appeared in U.S. media; the bombing suspect's name was revealed while British officials were still withholding it.

Georgetown's Arend said foreign governments are likely to compartmentalize how they share information with the U.S. They'll likely maintain confidence in U.S. intelligence and military chiefs, and top American diplomats, he said, but will be more reticent with the White House.