Will White House Chief of Staff John Kelly go the way of Steve Bannon?
Many in Washington’s gossipy circles are speculating as much this morning, as it was just revealed that Kelly may have undercut President Trump’s efforts to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Jonathan Swan of Axios reports, “Late last night, a few hours after Fox News aired Bret Baier’s interview with John Kelly, a source close to the president told me Trump would explode when he saw what his chief of staff said.”
What did Kelly say that would have Trump so piqued? The former general told host Bret Baier that he had educated Trump on the concept of a wall, calling the President initially uniformed about the proposal.
Here’s what he told Fox News: “This president, if you see what he has done, he has changed the way he has looked at a number of things. He’s very definitely changed his attitude toward DACA and even the wall. Campaign to governing are two different things, and this president has been very, very flexible in terms of what is within the realm of the possible.”
Trump was none too happy with the comments. This morning he took to Twitter to clarify Kelly’s message, ensuring supporters that the wall is still coming:
The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it. Parts will be, of necessity, see through and it was never intended to be built in areas where there is natural protection such as mountains, wastelands or tough rivers or water…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018
….The Wall will be paid for, directly or indirectly, or through longer term reimbursement, by Mexico, which has a ridiculous $71 billion dollar trade surplus with the U.S. The $20 billion dollar Wall is “peanuts” compared to what Mexico makes from the U.S. NAFTA is a bad joke!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018
The contradictory statements echo a lot of the verbal mix-ups that occurred during Steve Bannon’s brief time as White House chief strategist. Bannon was rumored to have been the prime leaker to the media during his tenure in the West Wing, often spreading malicious lies about his colleagues, undermining the President’s efforts.
Swan’s inside source within the White House speculates that Kelly is following Bannon’s path, being friendly with the President in person but stabbing him in the back behind the scenes:
“Kelly has finally ventured into Steve Bannon territory when it comes to trying to create the perception that he’s the ‘great manipulator,’ saving the country from Trump’s ignorance. The difference is, Steve tried to develop that reputation in off-the-record conversations with reporters. Kelly did it openly on the country’s most-watched cable network. It’s the subtle difference between hubris and arrogance.”
One year into the presidency and one thing is clear: President Trump values loyalty. Do Kelly’s actions strike you as someone who is loyal to the President and his agenda?
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