Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly says he was not hired to control Trump’s behavior or tweets

Pool / Getty Images

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly wants to make it clear that he was not brought in to “control” President Donald Trump’s behavior and that Trump’s Twitter habits do not bother him.

“It’s funny, I read in the paper, you all know, you write it, that I have been a failure at controlling the president, or a failure at controlling his tweeting,” Kelly said at a press briefing on Thursday. “I was not brought to this job to control anything but the flow of information to our president so that he can make the best decisions.”

When asked if Trump’s tweets make his job harder to do, Kelly responded, “No, no.”

Kelly, a retired Marine general and the former secretary of Homeland Security, was appointed to the position of White House Chief of Staff in July after Reince Priebus resigned. Since his appointment, he’s been the subject of a constant stream of media reports that paint Kelly as frustrated by the president’s lack of discipline and his irrepressible tweets.

Kelly said all that isn’t true — and that he’s not planning on leaving his position or about to be fired, despite the rumors of tension.

See More:

More in Politics

Podcasts
The Supreme Court abortion pills case, explainedThe Supreme Court abortion pills case, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

How Louisiana brought mifepristone back to SCOTUS.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Politics
Trump’s China policy is nearly the exact opposite of what everyone expectedTrump’s China policy is nearly the exact opposite of what everyone expected
Politics

As Trump heads to China, attention and resources are being shifted from Asia to yet another war in the Middle East.

By Joshua Keating
Politics
Are far-right politics just the new normal?Are far-right politics just the new normal?
Politics

Liberals are preparing for a longer war with right-wing populists than they once expected.

By Zack Beauchamp
The Logoff
Flavored vapes doomed Trump’s FDA headFlavored vapes doomed Trump’s FDA head
The Logoff

Why Marty Makary is out at the FDA, briefly explained.

By Cameron Peters
Politics
Virginia Democrats’ irresponsible new plan to save their gerrymanderVirginia Democrats’ irresponsible new plan to save their gerrymander
Politics

Democrats just handed the Supreme Court’s Republicans a loaded weapon.

By Ian Millhiser
The Logoff
Can Trump lower gas prices?Can Trump lower gas prices?
The Logoff

What suspending the gas tax would mean for you, briefly explained.

By Cameron Peters