Posted on 07/28/2017 3:54:07 PM PDT by COBOL2Java
WASHINGTON (AP) — His White House in turmoil, President Donald Trump abruptly announced late Friday he was appointing Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to be his chief of staff, ending the tumultuous six-month tenure of Reince Priebus.
After months of speculation about Priebus’ fate, Trump tweeted his decision just as he landed in Washington after a speech in New York in which he lavishly praised Kelly’s performance at Homeland Security.
Priebus, the former Republican National Committee head, was the frequent target of rumors about his job security amid infighting and confusion within the White House and a long whisper campaign by Trump allies. Then, he was the subject of a remarkable public rebuke on Thursday by the new White House communications director.
Priebus told allies that he had offered his resignation to Trump on Thursday.
Trump’s announcement on Twitter said, “I am pleased to inform you that I have just named General/Secretary John F Kelly as White House Chief of Staff. He is a Great American … and a Great Leader. John has also done a spectacular job at Homeland Security. He has been a true star of my Administration.”
(Excerpt) Read more at wtop.com ...
“The media has literally written Trump is in turmoil/pandemonium/anarchy/disarray/meltdown/etc. every week for like twenty-five months straight now.”
Yup.
Now he’s done it - it’s the last straw and he’ll never get the nomination...er, win the election...
I never trusted Priebus.
But that was just the conservative in me.
Was Priebus the Nimrod who suggested playing softball with congressional stonewalling?
A little history moment:
Kelly was asked by a reporter for The Los Angeles Times if, considering the size of the Iraqi Army and the vast supplies of tanks, artillery and chemical weapons available to Saddam’s forces, he would ever consider defeat. Kelly’s archetypal response was “Hell these are Marines. Men like them held Guadalcanal and took Iwo Jima. Baghdad ain’t shit.”
Now compare that to the man you defend, Jeff Sessions, who recused himself from doing his job.
IF Kelly ever recuses himself from doing his job, then maybe you have a point that Trump might lash out at him.
... BUT ...
Trump went to military school. He respects the military, and particularly the marines. So perhaps we have an idea what Kelly would think of your predication and what it is worth.
He did a hell of a job running the RNC and deserves credit for that.
Lock up the leakers? Sessions to unveil crackdown, as Kelly gets White House staff in line!
Sessions to announce investigations into ‘criminal leaks’
Fox news August 01, 2017
By Barnini ChakrabortyPublished August 01, 2017
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is set to announce a major crackdown on leakers this week, in the latest sign the administration is pushing to run a tighter ship as John Kelly seizes the reins as White House chief of staff.
One of the first tasks facing the retired general and former Homeland Security boss will be plugging the leaks at the White House that his predecessor struggled to stanch.
“If Reince [Priebus] couldn’t control those leaks ... then he was the one who was ultimately responsible, and General Kelly was brought in to make sure those leaks do not continue,” former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday.
Kelly, with his apparent role in Monday’s removal of Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, already has demonstrated he’ll oust staff members he thinks are causing problems.
But beyond the White House effort to halt nettlesome leaks about behind-the-scenes feuding, Sessions is expected to go further with an announcement on criminal leak investigations — specifically, concerning news reports that published sensitive intelligence material, according to officials who have been briefed on the matter.
Sessions plans to hold a press conference on leaks on Friday. The announcement may provide more of an overview of what the DOJ hopes to accomplish rather than specific prosecutions at this stage, Fox News is told.
Last month, a report written by Republicans on the Senate’s homeland security panel warned that the Trump administration faced an “alarming” amount of media leaks that posed a potential threat to national security.
The 24-page report titled “State Secrets: How and Avalanche of Media Leaks is Harming National Security,” estimated the Trump administration has had about one leak per day.
Perhaps a reservation or two in the graybar hotel will tighten a few sphincters.
Well, I will admit that Priebus was favorable toward Trump during the election. That was probably why Trump showed him any patience whatsoever.
But the legislative morass needs someone TOUGH.
There’s also the matter of social ‘chemistry’.
Trump relates better with tough military minds than with traditional insiders.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.