Tina Flournoy, the chief of staff for Vice President Kamala Harris, has established a reputation as a tough gatekeeper, using similar tactics to those she used while overseeing former President Bill Clinton’s post-White House office.

Flournoy’s tight approach, which includes blocking longtime allies from contacting Harris, has led to both praise and criticism.

As Vice President Kamala Harris contends with intense scrutiny over her handling of the border crisis and other key issues, members of her staff are experiencing low morale and struggling to communicate with top staffers, according to multiple reports on Wednesday.

Communication issues and distrust between aides and senior officials on Harris’ team, including her chief of staff Tina Flournoy, have contributed to a "tense and at times dour office atmosphere." Politico reported, citing interviews with 22 current and former aides. 

When Vice President Kamala Harris finally made the decision to visit the Mexico border last week, people inside her own office were blindsided by the news.

For days, aides and outside allies had been calling and texting with each other about the political fallout that a potential trip would entail. But when it became known that she was going to El Paso, it left many scrambling, including officials who were responsible for making travel arrangements and others outside the VP’s office charged with crafting the messaging across the administration.