Megyn Kelly said on Tuesday's Kelly File that she just doesn't know what to make of President-elect Donald Trump's advisers squabbling over Mitt Romney, who is meeting for a second time with Trump on Tuesday, presumably over the possibility that Trump will tap him for secretary of state. Did Kellyanne Conway "go rogue" by trying to disqualify Romney on Sunday talk shows, Kelly asked GOP strategist Karl Rove, or did she go after him with Trump's knowledge and at least tacit consent, as The Associated Press reports?
"I don't know which is true, I just think it's unseemly and unconstructive," Rove said. "It makes Donald Trump, whatever the intention, look weak, it makes him look like he's waffling, it makes him look like he is being pressured, and that's not what a president or a president-elect ought to look like." Rove also noted that such infighting and second-guessing is "not conducive to creating the right kind of atmosphere inside the White House," where people can offer their honest opinions without fear of public humiliation.
"The speculation is that perhaps Donald Trump is looking to embarrass Mitt Romney, who was a vicious critic of Trump's during the campaign," Kelly said, "that this is, you know, playing out like an episode of The Apprentice, where he decides who goes forward and who doesn't in the most dramatic fashion." Rove said that Trump using Conway to embarrass Romney was "too Machiavellian" for Trump. "The other option of course is that she's gone rogue, in which case she's not serving her principal well," he said. "He needs to look strong. The world is watching now, they're taking the measure of the man, and this is not something that's going to make him look stronger." Kelly was unconvinced: "That doesn't sound like Kellyanne Conway to go rogue. We'll see." You can watch the exchange below. Peter Weber
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The Week Unwrapped: Can bullfighting win over young SpaniardsPodcast Plus, is online fandom inherently unhealthy? And is Putin’s economy running out of gas?
-
Heirs and Graces: an ‘enthralling’ deep dive into the decline of nobilityThe Week Recommends Eleanor Doughty explores the ‘bizarre fascination’ with the British aristocracy
-
The week’s best photosIn Pictures A monstrous pumpkin, a sumo showdown, and more
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rulesSpeed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Actspeed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in VenezuelaSpeed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
‘Vile, racist’ leaked chats roil Young RepublicansSpeed Read Leaders of Young Republican groups made racist, antisemitic and violent comments in private chats
-
Trump ties $20B Argentina bailout to Milei votesspeed read Trump will boost Argentina’s economy — if the country’s right-wing president wins upcoming elections
-
News organizations reject Pentagon restrictionsSpeed Read The proposed policy is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest move to limit press access at the Pentagon
-
Trump declares end to Gaza war, ‘dawn’ of new MideastSpeed Read Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel released thousands of Palestinian detainees
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia JamesSpeed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
