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John Kelly is reportedly displeased with Trump's war against the NFL
John Kelly is reportedly displeased with Trump's war against the NFL
David ChoiSep 26, 2017, 08:27 IST
President Donald Trump and some of his friends are growing frustrated by the restrictions and discipline imposed by the new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, prompting some Trump loyalists even nicknaming him "the church lady," The Washington Post reported Thursday. Kelly is viewed by these Trump loyalists as "strict and morally superior," according to the Post report, and they believe he is likely to clash with the president eventually. "[Trump is] having a very hard time," one Trump friend told The Post. "He doesn't like the way the media's handling him. He doesn't like how Kelly's handling him. He's turning on people that are very close to him." Kelly was appointed Chief of Staff in July, following a chaotic series of staff departures that included the ousting of Kelly's predecessor Reince Priebus, the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer, and the firing of communications director Anthony Scaramucci. Kelly's move from Homeland Security Secretary to White House Chief of Staff was part of a push to enact order in the West Wing, where Trump was accustomed to accepting spontaneous, freewheeling meetings and phone calls. With Kelly in the White House, those phone calls are routed through Kelly first, and Trump friends must make official appointments in order to visit the Oval Office. Yet Trump has privately begun flouting these rules, according to The Post, frequently calling advisers and confidants - including former chief strategist Steve Bannon, from his personal phone. "Donald Trump resists being handled," Roger Stone, a friend and former adviser of Trump, told The Post. "Nobody tells him who to see, who to listen to, what to read, what he can say … Keeping him in the dark and feeding him shit is not going to work. Donald Trump is a free spirit." Yet in public, Trump has appeared supportive of Kelly and frequently praises him. On Friday morning, Trump said on Twitter that Kelly was "doing a great job as Chief of Staff." "I could not be happier or more impressed - and this Administration continues to … get things done at a record clip. Many big decisions to be made over the coming days and weeks. AMERICA FIRST!" he tweeted.Associated Press/Carolyn Kaster
White House chief of staff John Kelly was displeased with President Donald Trump's antagonizing NFL players who kneel in protest of police violence and racism during the national anthem, two administration officials said in a CNN report on Monday.
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Kelly was cognizant of racial issues and was concerned with the matter, one official said.
The chief of staff was also reportedly concerned with Trump's initial response during the white-nationalist protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August.
Despite his reservations with Trump's NFL war, Kelly, a highly decorated former Marine Corps officer and the former Homeland Security Secretary, publicly said he was "appalled" by the players who knelt during the national anthem.
"I believe every American, when the national anthem is played, should cover their hearts and think about all the men and women who have been maimed and killed," Kelly said to CNN on Monday. "Every American should stand up and think for three lousy minutes."
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Trump rejected CNN's assertion that he and Kelly were at odds on his NFL tirades, calling it a "total lie," and insisting that Kelly "agrees [with] my stance on NFL players."
"For a week, they'll be the most popular person in this country," Trump griped about players kneeling during the national anthem. "Because that's a total disrespect of our heritage. That's a total disrespect for everything we stand for."
Trump carried on with the subject through the weekend and all day Monday, telling players who demonstrate to "find something else to do" and calling the NFL's games "boring."
