What Trump is doing during the hours of 'executive time' on his leaked schedules

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What Trump is doing during the hours of 'executive time' on his leaked schedules

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 01: (CHINA OUT, SOUTH KOREA OUT) U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House February 1, 2019 in Washington, DC. Trump spoke during an event discussing the fight against human trafficking on the southern border of the United States and renewed his call for funding for the construction of a wall. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun/The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)

The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images

President Donald Trump.

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  • Leaked details of President Trump's schedule shows he spends the bulk of his day in "executive time."
  • The term "executive time" has become synonymous with his penchant for tweeting complaints about what he sees on television.
  • But Trump also spends a considerable amount of his free time during the day phoning members of Congress and conducting off-the-cuff meetings.

When a White House staffer leaked the details of President Donald Trump's schedule to Axios, it caused a stir about how he actually spends his days. While Trump spends around 60 percent of his work day in "executive time," that does not necessarily mean he is rage-tweeting or sitting in front of the television.

Executive time for Trump can be a number of different things, whether that it live-tweeting "Fox & Friends from bed or conducting loosely structured meetings and making calls.

Read more: A leaked schedule shows Trump reportedly spends up to five hours a day on 'executive time,' and he doesn't hold his first official meetings until the middle of the day

Trump likes to tweet, which should surprise no one. But an analysis from the Washington Post crossing the Axios schedule with Trump's Twitter data from Media Matters shows the president typically sends his morning fusillade of tweets before his work day actually begins.

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Another component of the tweeting is that Trump is not always the one sending the tweets. His longtime aide and current White House Director of Social Media Dan Scavino will often post tweets on Trump's behalf.

So during his "executive time," Trump is not always just stewing in front of the television, but is likely in and out of meetings and speaking with advisors.

As INSIDER has previously reported, Trump will often pick up the phone and call members of Congress in the middle of the day, especially if he has just seen their face on television. Trump is also very close with certain Republican members of Congress, like House Freedom Caucus Chairman and North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows, who he speaks to very frequently.

It has also been widely reported that Trump consults with informal advisors like Fox News host Sean Hannity.

So when Trump is in "executive time," it can mean more than just sitting around doing nothing. The White House claims this is a benefit and example of Trump's unorthodox style.

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"President Trump has a different leadership style than his predecessors and the results speak for themselves," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told Axios.

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