Ms. [Kathryn] Tenpas [Brookings Institute] the staff turnover expert, said that, as the midterms approach, many talented people are likely to shy away from filling empty roles in a West Wing where the president believes he can function as his own chief of staff, spokesman and human resources manager.
“I think Trump has run through the first string of people pretty quickly,” she said. “If the patterns hold, we’re going to see another huge number of departures simply because people are exhausted and ready to move on.”
John Kelly is the boy who cried wolf. Rumors are surfacing again that he’s leaving, because while he was brought on board to turn chaos into calm, Trump thrives on chaos and he’s the last person Trump asks for advice.
Mr. Trump’s reliance on outside advisers, she said, also signals an “emasculation” of the chief of staff in the White House, who is meant to serve as the president’s confidant and gatekeeper.
“It seems as though Chief of Staff Kelly is losing power by the day,” Ms. Tenpas said. “It’s almost like a battery that’s draining. I’ve not seen any presidency operate effectively without putting somebody in there that you respect and you can trust.”
Mr. Kelly, several West Wing advisers say, is beaten down. His newly named deputy chief of staff, Zachary Fuentes, a young former military aide with no political experience, has earned the mocking title of “deputy president” over his behavior as a proxy for Mr. Kelly. But Mr. Kelly has developed an uneasy truce with the president, and he is among those traveling abroad with Mr. Trump this week.
Kelly and Trump have had their uneasy truce for some time and that is most probably exactly how things will stay. As to a revolt among the staff, Trump, it goes without saying, is indifferent. He doesn’t care who leaves, as long as it’s not Fox News or Twitter.
The turnover, which is expected to become an exodus after the November elections, does not worry the president, several people close to him said. He has grown comfortable with removing any barriers that might challenge him — including, in some cases, people who have the wrong chemistry or too frequently say no to him.
Mr. Trump, who desires a measure of chaos at all times, is reveling in the effects of his own mercurial decision-making, the people said.
Stephen K. Bannon, the president’s former chief strategist, said in an interview that Mr. Trump’s love of conflict had driven his approach to the presidency. “This is how he won,” Mr. Bannon said. “This is how he governs, and this is his ‘superpower.’ Drama, action, emotional power.”
Immaturity, inanity, vulgarity. Those will remain as long as Trump is in the White House, even if he’s there all by himself.