Fires Priebus via tweet from Air Force One after Scaramucci's vulgar attacks, appoints Kelly chief of staff
Trump announced via Twitter from Air Force One that he was replacing Chief of Staff Reince Priebus with Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, ending Priebus's turbulent six-month tenure. The firing came one day after Scaramucci gave a profanity-laced interview to The New Yorker calling Priebus a 'paranoid schizophrenic' and accusing him of leaks. It also came hours after McCain's healthcare vote defeat. Priebus said he had offered his resignation Thursday and Trump accepted. The appointment of Scaramucci the previous week over Priebus's objections had set off the final unraveling. Kelly, a retired four-star general, was brought in to impose military-style discipline, and one of his first acts would be firing Scaramucci after just 10 days.
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryThe manner of firing - via tweet from Air Force One after a subordinate's vulgar public attacks - exemplified Trump's cruel and chaotic management style.
Priebus's six-month tenure was marked by constant undermining from Trump, who often excluded him from key decisions and allowed others to work around him.
The firing after Scaramucci's attacks sent a message that loyalty to Trump mattered more than institutional experience or traditional GOP credentials.
Kelly's appointment represented an attempt to impose order, but would ultimately fail as Trump proved unwilling to accept constraints on his behavior.
The episode capped the '13 days in July' that transformed Trump's White House through unprecedented chaos and turnover.