President Trump defended retired Gen. John Kelly on Friday saying that he could “not be happier” with his performance as chief of staff thus far.
“General John Kelly is 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," he tweeted. "Many big decisions to be made over the coming days and weeks. AMERICA FIRST!”
The comments come after a report in The Washington Post Thursday that said the president was growing frustrated with some White House officials.
And some of Trump’s friends fear that the short-tempered president is on an inevitable collision course with White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly.
Trump chafes at some of the retired Marine Corps general’s moves to restrict access to him since he took the job almost a month ago, said several people close to the president. They run counter to Trump’s love of spontaneity and brashness, prompting some Trump loyalists to derisively dub Kelly “the church lady” because they consider him strict and morally superior.
“He’s having a very hard time,” one friend who spoke with Trump this week said of the president. “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.” (The Washington Post)
Since Kelly has taken over the helm a number of people in the administration have departed, including former communications director Anthony Scaramucci, former national security aide Sebastian Gorka, and former chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member