Trump is reportedly 'acting sharper in meetings' now that John Kelly is around

President Trump and Chief of Staff John Kelly.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

published 2 August 2017

Nobody ever questioned that White House Chief of Staff John Kelly runs a tight ship. But after Kelly began his tenure with the ousting of communications director Anthony Scaramucci on Monday, many people got to wondering if the general might be able to tame his famously impulsive boss next.

Axios reports that — so far anyway — Kelly seems to be succeeding:

The door to the Oval Office used to be wide open, with favored officials drifting in and out — even in the middle of meetings — to kibitz with [President] Trump.Now, the door is closed. Gen. John Kelly, the new White House chief of staff, has taken control in dramatic fashion, and is already imposing unmistakable signs of order after just a few days on the job[.]Even POTUS appears to be trying to impress his four-star handler, picking up his game by acting sharper in meetings and even rattling off stats. [Axios]

If true, the news would signal a turning point for Trump, who prefers consuming data in bullet points and illustrations and reportedly can have a difficult time focusing on briefings if they aren't peppered with his name.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.