Posted on 12/30/2018 5:36:31 AM PST by Eddie01
[snip]
...he presided over some of the Trump administration’s most controversial immigration and security policies.
In the phone interview Friday, Kelly defended his rocky tenure, arguing that it is best measured by what the president did not do when Kelly was at his side.
It was only after Kelly’s departure was confirmed Dec. 8, for example, that Trump abruptly announced the pullout of all U.S. troops from Syria and half the 14,000 troops from Afghanistan, two moves that Kelly had opposed.
Kelly’s supporters say he stepped in to block or divert the president on dozens of matters large and small. They credit him, in part, for persuading Trump not to pull U.S. forces out of South Korea, or withdraw from NATO, as he had threatened.
[snip]
“It’s never been: The president just wants to make a decision based on no knowledge and ignorance,” Kelly said. “You may not like his decision, but at least he was fully informed on the impact.”
Kelly allowed that spending nearly every waking minute of 15-hour days with a president seemingly inundated with one crisis after another has been a “bone-crushing hard job, but you do it.”
“I’m guarded by the Secret Service. I can’t even go get a beer,” he quipped.
Trump sometimes pressed his advisors on the limits of his authority under the law, often asking Kelly, “‘Why can’t we do it this way?’”
But Trump never ordered him to do anything illegal, Kelly stressed, “because we wouldn’t have.”
“If he had said to me, ‘Do it, or you’re fired,’” Kelly said he would have resigned.
“I told the president the last thing in my view that you need in the chief of staff is someone that looks at every issue through a political lens,” Kelly said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The Fraud fired and disgraced all who didn’t march to his master’s orders.
Lord God in heaven, please give President Trump wise advisors, in Jesus Name, Amen.
General Kelley definitely hung on to that bucking bronco of a job, well past a full eight second ride.
We can argue over points, but he sure did put in his service, and I respect him for that.
DO NOT VISIT YAHOO...
They along will all the Media and John Kelly are out to destroy DONALD J. TRUMP.
I have never seen such hate, and evil in this Nation ever...
It is so disgusting make me weep for what lies ahead for all of us...
In the main, hire none of the following:
1) Washed up generals,
2) Retired CEOs,
3) Bush League hangers-on,
4) Lifetime members of the Deep State.
There are a multitude of legal and legislative "technicians" who can give useful information to the chain of command if they are properly vetted. But that process needs to improve.
Donald Trump didn't become a successful developer and businessman by hiring these people. His transition team did a horrible job and down-sizing the personnel office right off the bat(I think that was PDJT's idea?) was a bad decision.
John Kelly has been around long enough that he should have known giving a telephone interview to the Leftist LA Times was trouble. He is not stupid so I can only assume he wanted this drama on his way out. There are far too many disloyal drama llamas surrounding our President.
DJT's habit of shooting from the hip with regard to personnel, hiring and firing on a whim, needs to improve.
It’s about time our side got a wake up call to see these globalist Forever War mongers for what they are.
Couldn’t agree more. Avoid Generals (politicians) and go down in the ranks to loyal Colonels and Captains.
Astounding, given we see what appears to be a real, actual fight play out daily, only to find out they’re all just part of an ensemble cast, like the Woody Allen movies.
All I see here is that it’s a tough job being both President and his Chief of Staff (I’m sure Ms. O’Toole was floored by that idea) and that Trump asks a lot of questions and wants to know why he can’t do things certain ways.
Breaking News...or something...
The aurhor Molly OToole had a nice long segment on CNN this morning.
I don’t watch CNN but it was on a monitor at the gym.
I’ll say one thing, Trump has really gone through a lot of staff and others changes these two years.
He wants winners. Kellyanne and Sarah are sill there. Bolton is the right guy as well.
Spoken like real 6 year old!
Shirley his mega million dollar, tell all
book deal is just around the corner!
Welcome to Free Republic
Listening to my son who has just finished 21 years mostly in Special Forces and previously in 82nd Airborne, I get the impression that the serious day to day guidance is done by mid level sergeants
I have always liked Bolton. I thought he should have been at the UN from the beginning. He tells those loud mouthed muzzies and liberals where to stick it.
He wasn’t a good choice. Is he even a Republican?
>>Their biggest problem is that they are not used to taking orders from anyone.
Your analysis is correct but incomplete. They don’t know how to lead in anything but a military fashion — i.e. barking orders, etc. I pointed this out on here when Kelly was appointed and got lambasted by those who said his dictatorial style was exactly what was needed in the WH. It is NEVER what is needed. Certainly not by those who serve the President.
My biggest problem with Trump is that he has stayed with bad appointments too long. That and he needs to quit talking and start acting — like declassifying all the stuff related to the FISA court.
“My biggest problem with Trump is that he has stayed with bad appointments too long. That and he needs to quit talking and start acting — like declassifying all the stuff related to the FISA court.”
Absolutely all true! But I think perhaps he’s learned his lesson in this regard. The other day he remarked that “acting” appointees may be a good thing. I guess that probably speaks to two issues: 1) He doesn’t have to wait on The Turtle and the Senate to diddle his appointments and 2) they can be jettisoned if they don’t work out without all the pain that goes with the “advise and consent” bull$hit!
But it must be awful not to be able to trust most everyone who comes along. For the most part, they are all “swamp creatures” or egoists, or most likely both, who think that they are serving their own interests first. It is remarkable that he’s able to continue with the withering “fire” he takes on a daily basis.
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.