November 13, 2018

"NBC News" is reporting from seven sources that John Kelly is being ousted as Trump's Chief of Staff because of clashes with John Bolton, but mostly because of Melania Trump's dissatisfaction that Kelly wouldn't promote her people fast enough.

It's being reported that Trump said he didn't need this [expletive].

Hallie Jackson tells MSNBC, "There was a blow up last month between John Kelly and Amb. Bolton in the West Wing, the tensions between these two men have been flaring."

She continued, "The issues with Melania Trump , which again - we are reporting out, now stem with travel and staffing issues essentially. Some of the logistical issues and some of those East Wing concerns actually escalated to the level of the president, according to the seven sources that we've been talking."

"For example, Melania Trump raised some concerns about requests to promote some of her top aides that had been denied, those requests languished for months, Kelly was insisting there were not enough available positions. The president was really upset when he heard about this, and according to the sources he essentially directed Kelly to do this saying, "I don't need this junk. -- he used a stronger word than junk if you will."

Jackson said these tensions have put his job in the White House in jeopardy. Jackson also said publicly Melania is trying to stay out of the fray.

John Kelly had announced in July to his senior staff that he was staying at the White House until 2020

Jackson said, "What we are learning that is an increasingly untenable position, given the role of Kelly now has and given the tensions that have come up now between these key figures. Melania Trump in a lot of ways, often does her own thing, -- but behind the scene, she is obviously talking to her husband about these issues."

Talking Points Memo suggests this may be a bigger soap opera than just Kelly:

A red wave of crazy news out of the White House today which may have John Kelly, Kirstjen Nielsen and others booted off the island. But just as interesting is this news in the just updated version of the story from The Wall Street Journal. Trump has decided to can, according to the Journal, John Bolton’s NSC deputy Mira Ricardel because of conflicts with the First Lady.

He said "red wave." Heh.

Another one bites the dust? Oliver Willis shares this take:

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