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Can John Kelly Tame Trump’s Tweets?

August 6, 2017 at 9:03 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Bloomberg: “Kelly is testing his authority to tame Trump’s sometimes reckless tweeting habits. While Kelly isn’t vetting every presidential tweet, Trump has shown a willingness to consult with his chief of staff before hitting ‘send’ on certain missives that might cause an international uproar or lead to unwelcome distractions, according to three people familiar with the interactions. Kelly has been ‘offering a different way to say the same thing,’ the person said.”

“Trump has made it clear, however, that he reserves the right to ignore advice on tweets.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: John Kelly

Sessions Told His Job Is Safe

August 2, 2017 at 9:00 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“New White House chief of staff John Kelly, in one of his first acts in his new post, called Attorney General Jeff Sessions to reassure him that his position was safe despite the recent onslaught of criticism he has taken from President Trump,” the AP reports.

“Kelly called Sessions on Saturday to stress that the White House was supportive of his work and wanted him to continue his job.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: Jeff Sessions, John Kelly

It’s Too Early to Judge the New Chief of Staff

August 2, 2017 at 10:57 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

The press coverage of Gen. John Kelly, the new White House chief of staff, and his impact on the most dysfunctional White House in modern history has been generally poor but this observation from Axios was especially absurd:

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Filed Under: Members, White House Tagged With: John Kelly


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Kelly Thinks He Talked Trump Out of a Border Wall

August 1, 2017 at 7:34 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Ryan Lizza: “A hint of Kelly’s potential influence on Trump emerged two weeks ago, in Aspen, Colorado, when Kelly made a startling revelation. According to several sources who attended a private briefing that included some of the nation’s most senior current and former national-security officials, Kelly sought to ease their minds about one of the most controversial and famous Trump proposals: the border wall with Mexico. Many of the current and former officials were deeply skeptical of Trump, and surprised that Kelly, a respected Marine Corps general, would even take a job working for him.”

“Kelly explained that he had spent a great deal of time talking through the issue with Trump, and he believed he had convinced the President that he didn’t actually need to build a physical wall along the entire nineteen-hundred-mile-long border between the United States and Mexico. Instead, the use of sophisticated monitoring technology, air surveillance, and fencing could secure the border with what Trump could start calling a ‘barrier.'”

Filed Under: Immigration Tagged With: John Kelly

From One Chief of Staff to Another

August 1, 2017 at 7:11 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

John Podesta: “As a former White House chief of staff, the best advice I could have given Gen. John F. Kelly has been overtaken by events: Don’t take the job.”

“To have any chance of succeeding, he will have to accomplish three extraordinary tasks, all at odds with President Trump’s instincts.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: John Kelly, John Podesta

Kelly Not Afraid to Stand Up to Trump

August 1, 2017 at 6:30 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Associated Press: “Raised voices could be heard through the thick door to the Oval Office as John Kelly — then secretary of Homeland Security — offered some tough talk to President Donald Trump. Kelly, a whip-cracking retired general who was sworn in as White House chief of staff on Monday, had demanded to speak to the president alone after Trump complained loudly that the U.S. was admitting travelers from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Haiti.”

“Kelly first tried to explain to Trump that the admissions were standard — some people had legitimate reasons to visit the country — but the president insisted that it was making him look bad, according to an administration official familiar with the exchange about a month ago. Kelly then demanded that other advisers leave the room so he could speak to the president frankly. Trump refused at first, but agreed when Kelly insisted. It was an early indication that Kelly, a decorated retired Marine general who served three tours in Iraq, is not afraid to stand up to his commander-in-chief.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: John Kelly

Kelly Considered Resigning After Comey Firing

July 31, 2017 at 5:32 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“New White House chief of staff John Kelly was so upset with how President Donald Trump handled the firing of FBI Director James Comey that Kelly called Comey afterward and said he was considering resigning,” CNN reports.

“Comey, who took Kelly’s call while traveling back from Los Angeles to Washington, responded to Kelly by telling him not to resign… The sources said Comey and Kelly are not close friends but that they had a professional relationship and a deep mutual respect for each other.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: James Comey, John Kelly

Can Kelly Pull the White House Together?

July 29, 2017 at 9:54 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Associated Press: “Much of his success will depend on factors outside his control, including whether Trump’s squabbling staff is willing to put aside the rivalries that have sowed disorder in the West Wing and complicated any efforts to enact policy. But no question looms larger than this: Can Kelly do what Priebus couldn’t? Can he curb the president’s own penchant for drama and unpredictability, and his tendency to focus more on settling scores than promoting a policy agenda?”

“No other aide or adviser has been successful on that front. As a candidate — and now as president — Trump has cycled through a cast of campaign chiefs and political advisers but has remained easily distracted by his personal interests and only loosely tethered to any policy plans.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: John Kelly

Kelly Suggests Trump Use a Sword on the Press

May 17, 2017 at 2:43 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

After President Trump was presented with a ceremonial saber at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy commencement, ABC News picked up Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly telling the president: “You can use that on the press, sir.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: John Kelly

White House-Cabinet Battle Brewing Over Trump Order

February 4, 2017 at 9:12 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Josh Rogin: “White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon wanted to stop Kelly in his tracks. Bannon paid a personal and unscheduled visit to Kelly’s Department of Homeland Security office to deliver an order: Don’t issue the waiver…”

“The confrontation between Bannon and Kelly pitted a political operator against a military disciplinarian. Respectfully but firmly, the retired general and longtime Marine told Bannon that despite his high position in the White House and close relationship with Trump, the former Breitbart chief was not in Kelly’s chain of command, two administration officials said. If the president wanted Kelly to back off from issuing the waiver, Kelly would have to hear it from the president directly, he told Bannon.”

“Bannon left Kelly’s office without getting satisfaction. Trump didn’t call Kelly to tell him to hold off. Kelly issued the waiver late Saturday night, although it wasn’t officially announced until the following day.”

Filed Under: Immigration, White House Tagged With: John Kelly, Stephen Bannon

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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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