Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly will step into his new position as White House chief of staff, replacing the ousted Reince Priebus, beginning Monday, The Associated Press reports. He'll be tasked with bringing "military discipline" to a West Wing plagued by feuds, leaks, and power struggles between Trump loyalists and more conventional members of the Republican establishment.
Kelly "knows how to do this: with common sense and good leadership," an unnamed friend of the retired general told The Washington Post, adding, "He won't suffer idiots and fools." Kelly has a reputation for being blunt and outspoken, as well as a history of challenging Congress. He is reportedly favored by President Trump, who labeled Priebus "weak" and ineffective, for his military background and ability to impose order. Because Kelly lacks legislative experience, policy direction may now fall more to Vice President Mike Pence.
In the short term, Kelly will be succeeded at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by Elaine Duke, who is currently deputy secretary and will take on the role of acting secretary until more permanent arrangements are made. DHS is central to many of Trump's policy priorities, including immigration and terrorism, and rumored candidates to fill Kelly's vacancy include Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Thomas Homan, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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.
-
Are car headlights are too bright?The Explainer 82% of UK drivers concerned about being ‘dazzled’ as LED bulbs become more common
-
Saudi Arabia could become an AI focal pointUnder the Radar A state-backed AI project hopes to rival China and the United States
-
What you need to know about last-minute travelThe Week Recommends You can book an awesome trip with a moment’s notice
-
Hungary’s Krasznahorkai wins Nobel for literatureSpeed Read László Krasznahorkai is the author of acclaimed novels like ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ and ‘Satantango’
-
Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91Speed Read She rose to fame following her groundbreaking field research with chimpanzees
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
