Wow, White House chief of staff John Kelly sure has an inflated sense of ego and perhaps a mission to get himself fired (see: Rex Tillerson, re "moron"). NBC News writes:
[White House] officials said Kelly portrays himself to Trump administration aides as the lone bulwark against catastrophe, curbing the erratic urges of a president who has a questionable grasp on policy issues and the functions of government. He has referred to Trump as "an idiot" multiple times to underscore his point, according to four officials who say they've witnessed the comments. [...]
Officials said Kelly's public image as a retired four-star general instilling discipline on a chaotic White House and an impulsive president belies what they describe as the undisciplined and indiscreet approach he's employed as chief of staff. The private manner aides describe may shed new light on why Kelly now finds himself — just nine months into the job — grappling with diminished influence and a drumbeat of questions about how long he'll remain at the White House. [...]
"He says stuff you can't believe," said one senior White House official.
In other words, the general has lost the confidence of his troops.
And wow, cue the misogyny from the guy who lectured America about how "sacred" women are before he launched a character assassination on an African-American woman lawmaker ...
Kelly has told aides multiple times that women are more emotional than men, including at least once in front of the president, four current and former officials said.
And during a firestorm in February over accusations of domestic abuse against then-White House staff secretary Rob Porter, Kelly wondered aloud how much more Porter would have to endure before his honor could be restored, according to three officials who were present for the comments. He also questioned why Porter's ex-wives wouldn't just move on based on the information he said he had about his marriages, the officials said.
Who would have guessed that it turns out Kelly wasn't all he was cracked up to be, except for basically every high-profile action he's taken as chief of staff—including defending Trump's attack on a grieving widow and ignoring Rob Porter's domestic abuse until the press found out. Integrity and nothing but, right from the get-go.
Oh, and how about that time he went over to The Hill and killed a compromise DACA fix for Dreamers?
He often used the settings to express concern that Trump would agree to a deal that's not hardline enough on immigration and criticized the president's knowledge of the issues to underscore his point, the officials said.
"He doesn't even understand what DACA is. He's an idiot," Kelly said in one meeting, according to two officials who were present. "We've got to save him from himself."
After the talks on a bipartisan deal fell apart, a collapse Kelly helped orchestrate with some conservative Republicans, he told aides in his office: "If it weren't for me the president was going to agree to some hasty deal," according to two officials who were present at the time.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Kelly, ‘cause Trump treated the last guy who called him stupid like a useless scrapheap when he fired him.