Here's how John Kelly is trying to tame the Trump White House

John Kelly is taking charge of the West Wing
(Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

In his first week as President Trump's chief of staff, retired Gen. John Kelly has moved to rein in the chaos in Trump's White House "with a suddenness and force that have upended the West Wing," The New York Times reports. "Kelly cuts off rambling advisers midsentence. He listens in on conversations between Cabinet secretaries and the president. He has booted lingering staff members out of high-level meetings, and ordered the doors of the Oval Office closed to discourage strays."

Kelly isn't trying to control Trump himself, however, reportedly telling White House staff that he is there to manage them, not the president, his Twitter habits, or his TV viewing. "He has privately acknowledged that he cannot control the president and that his authority would be undermined if he tried and failed," the Times reports. Key to Kelly's strategy is vetting the information Trump is given to ensure it's accurate, and who delivers it, and he knows that won't be easy. Politico explains:

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.