The relationship between President Trump and his chief of staff John Kelly has reportedly reached a breaking point, with a recent Vanity Fair report speculating that the rift “may be irreparable.”
The relationship between President Trump and his chief of staff John Kelly has reportedly reached a breaking point, with a recent Vanity Fair report speculating that the rift “may be irreparable.”
“According to conversations with four prominent Republicans close to the White House, Trump has grown frustrated with Kelly in recent weeks at what he sees as Kelly’s highhandedness," the media outlet notes. "‘They’re fighting a lot,’ one source explained.”
While the president is said to have had issues with decisions made by the retired general, Kelly himself has reportedly struggled with the task of bringing discipline to the West Wing while balancing Trump’s disdain for being managed.
Kelly is also believed to have been troubled by the public conflict between the president and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who had reportedly infuriated Trump by allegedly calling him “a moron.”
Kelly is said to have worked to calm the situation, but the incident appears to have been another reason for him to question his role in the White House; as an administration insider recently told CNN, “Every day for John Kelly ends in 'why?' Every day is tense.”
Meanwhile, a Vanity Fair source said about the chief of staff, “He doesn’t love this job. He’s doing it as a duty for the country.”
Despite speculation over Kelly’s future, Trump recently told CBS News, “John Kelly is one of the best people I’ve ever worked with. He’s doing an incredible job. And he told me, for the last two months, he loves it more than anything he’s ever done.”
“He will be here, in my opinion, for the entire seven remaining years,” the president also said about Kelly.
