Trump’s former chief of staff: His backing is 'beyond my comprehension'
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
In Bob Woodward’s first book on Donald Trump’s presidency, the author highlighted a meeting in which then-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly reportedly said of the-then president , “He’s an idiot. It’s pointless to try to convince him of anything. He’s gone off the rails. We’re in Crazytown. I don’t even know why any of us are here.”
And while that was certainly an unflattering comment, it was a private and unconfirmed exchange. That said, what Kelly has been willing to say on the record has been nearly as striking. The Washington Post published this report last week:
The retired four-star general went on to tell the Post, “I came out and told people the awful things he said about wounded soldiers, and it didn’t have half a day’s bounce. ... If anything, his numbers go up. It might even move the needle in the wrong direction. I think we’re in a dangerous zone in our country.”
The comments come on the heels of Kelly telling CNN that Trump privately disparaged U.S. troops, has “no idea what America stands for,” and has “nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.”
These were not casual asides. As regular readers know , after Trump left the White House, Kelly, the man who served as the Republican president’s chief of staff for 17 months, has struggled to contain his contempt for his former boss. Over the last few years, the retired Marine general, who also served as Trump’s Homeland Security secretary, has accused Trump of, among other things, “ poisoning ” people’s minds, having “ serious character issues ,” and not being “ a real man .”
Just as notably, Kelly has also raised concerns about Trump’s abuses while in office . Last fall, for example, Kelly told The New York Times that Trump, during his presidency, told his chief of staff to use the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department to target his critics and perceived political foes.
It’s against this backdrop that Kelly seems absolutely baffled as to why anyone in their right minds would even consider supporting his former boss.
I’m mindful of the fact that Trump’s followers reflexively distrust the Republican’s opponents, but it’s worth reemphasizing that Kelly isn’t a pundit, scholar, or elected official — he’s the man Trump personally tapped to oversee his White House.
He’s also the man who appears to be practically begging people not to vote for the former president.
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Happy Idiocracy !
I like that the General said he wasn't a real man.
It really had to tighten his jaw to see that awful creature disparage wounded soldiers. He never had the guts to go to combat so he thinks he's above all those that did serve. He has a real contempt for real people.
Well, we also know it had less than an impact on NT military/LEO Trump supporters either. Although these same people can be presumed to consent to "swift-boating" former presidential candidate John Kerry and disparage fomer Senator John McCain (Deceased), but incredulously find this denigrator of war dead and combat veterans highly favored to be the next Commander-in-Chief!
It wasn't that long ago that disparaging veterans especially wounded veterans around here got you in a messy dog pile
Trump's military school experience was pretty much the same as having military service, per him...
Finally, an amusing meme. I hope that given the lack of substantive discourse, you will maintain this standard with future cut n’ paste memes.
I have no idea how John Kelly put up with Trump, it's like dealing with a rat. Apologies to rats.
People, well minded, can fool themselves that they can control their bosses future decisions. I’m grateful that in Trump’s early years he had these folks on his staff.