White House chief of staff John Kelly strongly pushed back Monday against a recent NBC News story alleging that he has called President Donald Trump an idiot on multiple occasions.
“I spend more time with the President than anyone else and we have an incredibly candid and strong relationship. He always knows where I stand and he and I both know this story is total BS,” Kelly said in the statement. “I am committed to the President, his agenda, and our country. This is another pathetic attempt to smear people close to President Trump and distract from the administration’s many successes.”
The NBC story, citing multiple current and former White House officials, alleges that Kelly has at different points referred himself as the savior of the country and maligned the president’s intelligence.
“[Trump] doesn’t even understand what DACA is. He’s an idiot,” John Kelly said in one meeting, according to two officials who were present. “We’ve got to save him from himself.” https://t.co/LltG93gcaM
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 30, 2018
Eight current and former W.H. officials tell NBC News that John Kelly portrays himself to Trump aides as the lone bulwark against catastrophe, curbing the erratic urges of a president who has a questionable grasp on policy issues and government functions. https://t.co/LltG93gcaM
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 30, 2018