President Trump Promoting Some Staffers and Jettisoning Others

Donald Trump built a brand on “You’re fired!”. But it’s not always bad news when Trump calls you into the office.

For William Barr good news came in the form of an appointment. Barr will replace Acting Attorney General Whitaker. And I suspect Barr will be more in line with Trump’s thinking on draining the swamp.

Heather Nauert will replace UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, a promotion for Nauert.

But the news isn’t good for everybody. According to The Daily Mail,

White House insiders expect Chief of Staff John Kelly to resign in the coming days. Sources told DailyMail.com that Kelly, a decorated Marine Corps general brought in last year, is ‘expected’ to leave the White House before the end of the year, and the announcement could come as soon as Friday. His expected replacement is Nick Ayers, the young chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence. A source familiar with the situation told DailyMail.com on Friday morning that a dinner at the White House in the evening for senior staff was supposed to serve as an appreciation event for Kelly and other departing senior officials. ‘They were trying to give John the out he deserved for his service to the country. That was the plan,’ the person said. Now, that timeline has likely been expedited – Trump could make the announcement as soon as Friday morning.

I know President Trump loves the military, but Generals don’t do well in administrative roles. Also, they just aren’t used to being Number Twos.

Here’s how CNN summed up the relationship, and the latest developments:

John Kelly is expected to resign as White House chief of staff in the coming days, two sources familiar with the situation unfolding in the West Wing tell CNN.

Seventeen months in, Kelly and President Donald Trump have reached a stalemate in their relationship and it is no longer seen as tenable by either party. Though Trump asked Kelly over the summer to stay on as chief of staff for two more years, the two have stopped speaking in recent days.

Trump is actively discussing a replacement plan, though a person involved in the process said nothing is final right now and ultimately nothing is final until Trump announces it. Potential replacements include Nick Ayers, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, who is still seen as a leading contender.

Kelly has been on the verge of resigning or being fired before, only to bounce back every time. But aides feel the relationship can’t be salvaged this time. Trump is becoming increasingly concerned about Democrats taking over the House in January, and has privately said he needs someone else to help shape the last two years of his first term, which he predicts will be politically focused. He has complained repeatedly that Kelly is not politically savvy.

Trump is right about the savvy of Kelly.

Military politics is one thing, but DC politics a complete other animal.

Trump made the transition. And recently when asked what’s the toughest thing about being president he said, [pp] “the politics”.

Left to do the job of president, and Trump could damn near do it with his eyes closed. But dealing with anti-America bottom-feeding power-hungry, money-hungry, fame-seeking Leftists, the job is exponentially more difficult than it need be.

Nick Ayers will fare much better. And for Trump to pluck him away from the Vice President means a lot. So Ayers gets the win where Kelly takes the hit.

As I’ve said, the president sees turnover as a good thing. The more you learn about a role, the more you understand the roles of those who report to you. In most cases, the boss’ ascension is based on the ability of underlings to make it happen.

Trump clearly has his eye on the prize. This is why I predicted he will jettison VP Mike Pence soon. Pence will resign “for family reasons”. Then Nikki Haley will rejoin the Trump team. Her time off now is to get her ship ocean-ready.

Expect more cleaning house shortly. And again. Then again again. Trump wants best and brightest, and he will have this shortly.

 

 

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