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DonViejo

(60,536 posts) Sun Dec 30, 2018, 04:13 PM Dec 2018

5 revelations from John Kelly's Los Angeles Times exit interview

BY MICHAEL BURKE - 12/30/18 03:03 PM EST

Outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly made a number of noteworthy allegations during a rare, exclusive interview with the Los Angeles Times that was published Sunday.

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Trump has moved away from demand for 'concrete wall'

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White House 'surprised' by Sessions' zero tolerance policy on immigration

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions' decision to impose a "zero tolerance" immigration policy at the border that resulted in children being separated from their parents came as a surprise to the White House, Kelly said.

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Trump chafed at legal restrictions on power

Trump never asked Kelly to do anything illegal, Kelly told the Times. He said Trump never did so because "we wouldn't have" followed the order.

Kelly added that he would have resigned if Trump said, "Do it, or you're fired."

Kelly said Trump did, however, often express frustration about the limits afforded by the law and frequently asked Kelly, "Why can't we do it this way?"

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Trump surprised Kelly with travel ban order

Kelly said he was also surprised by Trump's executive order preventing refugees and travelers from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S.

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Kelly says being Trump’s chief of staff is 'bone-crushing hard job'

Kelly acknowledged to the Times that serving as White House chief of staff has been particularly difficult, saying that it has been a “bone-crushing hard job, but you do it.”

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full article
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/423256-5-revelations-from-john-kellys-los-angeles-times-exit-interview