'Blah, blah, blah': John Kelly described Elizabeth Warren as an 'arrogant woman' after a heated phone call on Trump's travel ban
- White House chief of staff John Kelly reportedly wrote a scathing email about a heated phone call he had with Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, according to files obtained by BuzzFeed News.
- Kelly was serving as Homeland Security secretary at the time, amid the fallout from President Donald Trump's travel ban, which blocked refugees and travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries, and caused some people to be detained at Logan Airport in Boston.
- Warren demanded information from Kelly about her constituents.
- Kelly reportedly did not respond to Warren for a week, and later denied Warren had tried to make to contact with him.
- "Absolutely most insulting conversation I have ever had with anyone," Kelly said in an email to a Homeland Security staffer, according to BuzzFeed News. "What an impolite arrogant woman."
Former Homeland Security secretary John Kelly reportedly wrote a scathing email about a heated phone call he had with Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who he described as "an impolite arrogant woman."
In the February 2017 email, Kelly addressed his phone call from Warren, who reached out for information regarding some of her constituents, a congressional source familiar with the situation said to BuzzFeed News. Several people, some who had visas, were detained at Logan Airport in Boston following President Donald Trump's executive order that blocked refugees and travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries.
"Absolutely most insulting conversation I have ever had with anyone," Kelly said in an email to then-senior counselor to Homeland Security Kevin Carroll. "What an impolite arrogant woman."
Warren, who took part in a demonstration at the airport against Trump's travel ban, personally reached out to Kelly and demanded answers about the situation. Kelly reportedly did not respond to Warren for a week, and later denied Warren had tried to make to contact with him.
"She immediately began insulting our people accusing them of not following the court order, insulting and abusive behavior towards those covered by the pause, blah, blah, blah," Kelly added, referring to a temporary restraining order that blocked Trump's travel ban, according to BuzzFeed News.
Carroll replied to Kelly by suggesting Warren was showboating for a potential presidential run.
"Warren is running for president so early, trying too hard, and chasing bad pitches," Carroll reportedly said.
In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump had the authority to ban travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea, and Venezuela, in the interest of national security.
Kelly was selected to replace Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff in July 2018.