Thread: Bolton and Kelly get into heated shouting match sparking resignation fears

Bolton and Kelly get into heated shouting match sparking resignation fears


October 18, 2018

Kaitlan Collins


Washington (CNN)A heated argument in the West Wing between chief of staff John Kelly and national security adviser John Bolton over a recent surge in border crossings turned into a shouting match Thursday, two sources familiar with the argument told CNN.

The exchange lay bare a bitter disagreement that has existed between two of President Donald Trump's top aides for weeks now.

Trump, who was incensed about the rising levels of migrants and threatened to shut down the southern border on Twitter earlier that morning, took Bolton's side during the argument. Bolton favors a harder line approach to the issue and criticized Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen during the argument, a source said. Nielsen used to serve as Kelly's deputy when he ran DHS. Bolton reportedly said Nielsen needed to start doing her job, which incensed Kelly.

While arguing is frequent in this divided West Wing, a source familiar with the clash equated it with a falling out.

The White House declined to comment on the argument. Bolton continued on with scheduled meetings throughout the afternoon.



The fight between Kelly and Bolton startled several aides throughout the West Wing on Thursday, a person who heard the shouting said, adding that the raised voices went well beyond the heated discussions of the Trump administration.


After the blowup, aides whispered privately that one of the men might leave the White House given the deep disagreement over the border. The fact that the President sided with Bolton, which only added to Kelly's fury.

A White House official said later that tempers had cooled and Kelly was not going to leave. Another declined to comment.

The caravan issue has been the subject of several White House meetings in recent days, according to an administration official. The conversations have centered around not only how to stop the caravan, but also how to use the issue for the upcoming midterms, the official said. Stephen Miller has been heavily involved.

According to unpublished Department of Homeland Security statistics reviewed by The Washington Post, the number of migrant families entering the US reached record levels in the three months since Trump ended migrant family separations -- a result of the administration's zero tolerance immigration policy.

Earlier this week Trump also took note of a migrant caravan formed in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula on Saturday and crossed into Guatemala on Monday. The caravan numbers in the thousands, organizers say.

Members of the group told CNN en Español that they decided to join the caravan and head to the United States because of insecurity and a lack of jobs in Honduras. Many are traveling with children in tow.
Trump posted several tweets about the caravan on Tuesday, calling for an end to foreign aid should they continue to travel.

"We have today informed the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador that if they allow their citizens, or others, to journey through their borders and up to the United States, with the intention of entering our country illegally, all payments made to them will STOP (END)!" Trump tweeted Tuesday night.

Trump has repeatedly called for cuts to foreign aid in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico, which, in all, obtained some $260 million in foreign aid for fiscal year 2019.



CNN's Jim Acosta, Maegan Vazquez and Catherine Shoichet contributed to this report.



https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/18/polit...ion/index.html

Fire Nielsen and Kelly

Put someone in to get the job done

No papers...no entry into our country...that goes for EVERYBODY on the planet!

$260 MILLION IS A LOT OF BUS TICKETS...ROUND THEM UP AND GET THEM OFF OUR SOIL!

Kirstjen Nielsen is not doing the job to secure our borders. General John Kelly keeps defending her. How does a general permit this?

We are being invaded by foreign citizens. Criminals and terrorists among them. The numbers are increasing.

On this path we look like we have surrendered to foreign invasion. When we say there is nothing we can do and we need Congress to protect us from foreign invasion, let us line white flags on the border.

Trump and Bolton are right. Nielsen doesn't have what it takes to run DHS immigration responsibilities. She seems quite capable in other areas, but a total fail on immigration and border breaches. She ran those stupid ads in Central American countries before the surge telling them to come to Ports of Entry to make Asylum Claims, not risk their lives sneaking in over the border and then after caught requesting asylum. Intentions may have been good, but she doesn't understand we don't want illegal asylum seekers sneaking over the border OR showing up at Ports of Entry from these countries, because they're all frauds. There is no legitimate asylum claim for anyone from Mexico, Central America or even most of South America, not from Europe or most of Asia or South Asia or even most of Africa, but definitely not anyone from Mexico, Central America or South America, perhaps a rare exception in past years in Chile.

Related:

Lou Dobbs - DHS Not Securing the Border, Agents Told to Stand Down



https://www.alipac.us/f12/lou-dobbs-...d-down-364662/

The United States is aiding and abetting illegal immigration and encouraging more. We are transporting illegal aliens around the nation to grow their numbers. We are increasing tremendous costs to the lives of Americans. We are creating more problems and giving power to George Soros groups, democrats, globalists, criminals, and others.

We are destroying America by allowing this invasion to continue one more day. Millions should be leaving.

Our president must lead, order the defense dept. to get on the border. Declare cartels foreign agents. Stop immigration till he and others know the plan to control this disgraceful and out of control immigration. No refugees, either.

These people are smart enough to know that ICE has no detention space to hold them, so they will be released into our communities. Caravans will keep coming and laughing all the way.

Actually, he can put FEMA on the border too. Federal Emergency Management Agency, they have swat teams, they have guns, they have tough vehicles and other types of equipment as well, plus they are not covered by that posse comitatis crap, that doesn't apply to a border invasion even though the CORRUPT MEDIA says it does, when it doesn't. FAKE NEWS! Heard it today on Shep Smith's show (Shep is a DemoQuack).

Kelly, Bolton Get in Profane Shouting Match Outside the Oval Office


October 18, 2018






President Donald Trump’s chief of staff and his national security adviser engaged in a profanity-laced argument outside the Oval Office on Thursday, according to three people familiar with the episode.

The chief of staff, John Kelly, and the national security adviser, John Bolton, fought over immigration and border crossings, including the performance of the Homeland Security Department under Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, one person familiar with the matter said. She was at the White House for meetings on Thursday but not present for the argument, the person said.
Bolton criticized DHS, and Kelly defended Nielsen, a former deputy whom he supported to replace him at the department. Trump sided with Bolton, the person said, which may once again stir speculation that Kelly will soon depart the White House.



Trump has lately expressed fury about a large group of migrants who are traveling from Honduras toward the U.S. border. He vowed Thursday to deploy the military and shut down the Mexican border unless the migrants are turned back.


The clash is an indication that tension is flaring in the White House 19 days before midterm elections in which Republican control of Congress is at stake. The shouting match was so intense that other White House aides worried one of the two men might immediately resign. Neither of the men is resigning, the people said.

Trump is aware of the argument, the people said, even though the president told reporters he didn’t know about it before boarding Air Force One to travel to Montana for a campaign rally. He has recently sought to make immigration a more prominent political issue, blaming Democrats for increased numbers of migrants crossing the border.



https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/ke.../18/id/886983/

The John Kelly versus John Bolton showdown is good for Trump


October 18, 2018

Thomas Rogan


One of the worst things any chief executive can suffer is groupthink from their senior advisers. But watching Trump's Cabinet meetings, it often seems that speakers are simply reinforcing Trump's own opinions.


So, I welcome the news reported by Bloomberg that White House chief of staff John Kelly and national security adviser John Bolton went apoplectic towards one another outside the Oval Office on Thursday. CNN suggests that the issue at contention was the migrant caravan that is heading towards the U.S. border. Regardless, while showdowns such as this one would be problematic for staff morale and White House decorum if they regularly occurred, as occasional incidents, they're good things.


The stakes in forming executive government policy are high. Indeed, the decisions President Trump makes are the most serious anyone on Earth makes. It thus makes sense that those who care about the national interest would be animated towards ensuring the president's policies are set upon the best course. And in Bolton and Kelly, the president has two very experienced advisers who are passionate about their views. Bolton is renowned for his singular attention to detail and his intolerance for prevarication. Kelly is a combat infantry officer who rose to wear four stars for the Marine Corps. That predisposes him to go at the jugular of any enemy and any issue.


Of course, this isn't really about Bolton or Kelly; it's about Trump. Even then, it's not about Trump per se but about his maximized potential to lead the country effectively. But having two senior advisers offering two different viewpoints on important issues, Trump avoids the groupthink that can sink good government.


In turn, whether regularly in private or occasionally in plain view, I welcome the competing energy this showdown represents.



https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/o...good-for-trump