Posted on 10/25/2024 12:56:49 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Kelly’s sensational claims about the president highlight his incompetence, mismanagement, and contempt for the chain of command.
No one knows former Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly better than I do. This bitter, bullying coward should be cast into the dustbin of history for once again smearing Donald Trump, just days before the most important election in modern American history.
It may seem reasonable to assume a four-star general would make a good chief of staff, but that assumption is deeply flawed.
Kelly invariably hated those closest to Trump. As chief of staff, he single-handedly turned Trump allies into bitter and viperous enemies.
Four-star generals like Kelly typically reach the top of their profession because they are seen as the sharpest tools in the military shed. Yet in the West Wing, among uber-elite civilians from academia, the corporate world, and Wall Street, Kelly was consistently the dumbest guy in the room.
Regarding Kelly’s leadership, I had to brace myself physically every time his office called, as it inevitably involved some form of threat or abuse. Some leaders inspire, while others attempt to “lead” through intimidation. Kelly was clearly the latter, and I can’t imagine serving under his command in combat.
But Kelly’s flawed leadership wasn’t the most concerning issue. His real failure was his refusal to obey the president, breaking the chain of command.
Kelly, along with Defense Secretary James “Mad Dog” Mattis, knew better than anyone that the military’s survival depends on strict respect for the chain of command. Yet once Kelly and Mattis reached the pinnacle of civilian power, they acted as if no one, not even the president, was above them.
Kelly routinely subverted the president’s trade agenda. When my former boss instructed Kelly to prepare an executive order to impose steel and aluminum tariffs or tariffs on China, Kelly would consistently delay the process by subjecting it to an extended review.
Kelly employed the same tactic whenever the president attempted to push trading partners like South Korea and Japan to stop screwing us in trade. Both Kelly and Mattis resisted actions that could threaten military alliances with these countries, ignoring the fact that gutting our economy and manufacturing base would ultimately weaken our ability to defend ourselves, let alone any other nation.
Why was Kelly so opposed to Trump’s trade policies? Lacking any economic training, Kelly fell easily into the globalist mindset of West Wing figures like National Economic Council Directors Gary Cohn and Larry Kudlow and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin — all of whom worked to block the president’s trade policies.
Because Kelly had no training in politics, he failed to understand the importance of trade policy in holding the high political ground of blue wall manufacturing states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan that Trump had won in 2016.
Because Kelly didn’t know how to “let Trump be Trump,” as Corey Lewandowski famously advised, there was no way “Captain Queeg” Kelly would allow anyone with differing trade policy ideas near the Oval Office.
SNIP
Aren’t 4 star a political appointment? I’m not sure but I thought anything over 2 stars was not ranked up by the military but appointed by the POTUS. Something like that but others here surely know better. That should be a clue for future POTUS’. Check who gave them the extra stars.
At least once a quarter, Generals Forte and Cannon liked to visit our motor pool on a Friday afternoon. I got plenty of face time with them as I was usually the only officer on site. Hell, they didn’t scare me, these were valuable learning lessons.
Those two generals backed me up during dust ups with my battery commander, and with the Chief Evaluator during a Nuclear Surety Inspection.
There were a few encounters with generals like Mad Dog and Kelly, usually unpleasant. My Trump card was that I was resigning my commission upon completing my battery command. 8+ years was enough for me.
Like I said, I was lucky.
Peter Navarro has been one of the most loyal and even went to prison for 4 months for this. Jared Kushner found his book in a bookstore and got Trump to hire PN.
Trump is still standing and still winning. He outlasted all the backstabbers and saboteurs.
“he MUST vet his staff far better than last time.”
Which is why I was worried when I read here that Kevin McCarthy might be in the running for his Chief Of Staff. 😡
I sure hope that was a bad joke.
“Trump’s four-star BULLY chief of staff John Kelly was a traitor within”. Maybe he’s actually a bull-dyke.
I’ve always thought Kudlow was an economic idiot. All he cares about is liquidity.
LOL, I felt that way shortly after promotion to 1st Lieutenant. By then, I had learned my job, taken 3 platoons through Tac Evals, was the Army Liasion Officer at Hahn AB during NATO alerts whom the Wing Commanded called upon for every NBC input, instead of his own specialist. He would also go on and pin a star: BG James Albritton.
I got worse my when I was appointed Battalion Supply Officer for my 18 months in Germany. It wasn’t a.fair fight: my bachelors degree was in Public Accounting. One of the best jobs I ever had.
Trump now refers to these ex-generals as TV generals, not real generals.
“most of the spouses are worse.”
I experienced that for a short time when my ex was in the USAF in Alaska. There was an event that included the wives. OMG.
Their own worth was simply an extension of their husbands’ ranks.
I never attended another. I never socialized with them again. I never understood, or cared to understand, the whole ranking system, i.e., what rank was higher than another, what stripes meant, etc.
Maybe John is in it for the money. He certainly is in a position to demand any amount he wants.
TV or otherwise - they need to be kept in their lane.
1000%
Trump better make smarter picks 2nd time around!!
follow the money:
x: Natalie Winters: Trump-bashing John Kelly is on the board of a company working in Ukraine.
Interesting.
VIDEO: 1m24s
https://x.com/nataliegwinters/status/1849232789851271286
Wikipedia: Acuity International
They serve the U.S. government and commercial clients worldwide, including the Department of Defense and Department of State...
The company was formed by DC Capital Partners and is currently managed by Tony Corbi, former chief financial officer and chief operations officer of Owl Cyber Defense. The board includes Generals ***JOHN KELLY, Anthony C. Zinni, Michael Hayden, and admirals Stephen F. Loftus, and Kathleen Martin...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acuity_International
Preach it, Peter Navarro! God bless you for your courage.
Kelly richly deserves it.
Navarro's piece reminds me of something Truman said: “I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”
Excerpt:
Several members of the Trump administration, including former Vice President Mike Pence's former chief of staff, Mike Ayers, have sharply disputed the claims.
"I've avoided commenting on intra-staff leaks or rumors or even lies as it relates to my time at the White House but General Kelly's comments regarding President Trump are too egregious to ignore," Ayers said on X.
"I was with each of them more than most, and his commentary is *patently false.*"
Mark Paoletta, general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), also spoke out against Kelly, writing on X:
"I don't believe a word he says. He was a terrible chief of staff who dishonestly kept information from the President to pursue his own agenda."
Trump himself denounced the stories on Oct. 23, saying Kelly "made up a story out of pure Trump Derangement Syndrome Hatred."
"Even though I shouldn't be wasting my time with him, I always feel it's necessary to hit back in pursuit of THE TRUTH," Trump said on Truth Social and X.
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