On Monday, it was reported that Donald Trump's Chief of Staff John Kelly regularly refers to Donald Trump as an "idiot."
"He doesn't even understand what DACA is. He's an idiot," John Kelly said in one meeting, according to two officials who were present. https://t.co/cuoNyqKbdW
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 1, 2018
Last night Donald Trump tried to swat down that report with tweets of solidarity:
The Fake News is going crazy making up false stories and using only unnamed sources (who don't exist). They are totally unhinged, and the great success of this Administration is making them do and say things that even they can't believe they are saying. Truly bad people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 30, 2018
The White House is running very smoothly despite phony Witch Hunts etc. There is great Energy and unending Stamina, both necessary to get things done. We are accomplishing the unthinkable and setting positive records while doing so! Fake News is going “bonkers!"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 30, 2018
Also, John Kelly released his own statement calling the report "total BS."
Via @PressSec, John Kelly responds to this @NBCNews story, by @carolelee, @ckubeNBC, @kwelkernbc, and @SRuhle, with @KatyTurNBC, @GeoffRBennett, and @HallieJackson: https://t.co/Q1K3rAgALX. pic.twitter.com/UdTI4b6Zfr
— David Gura (@davidgura) April 30, 2018
But the report is certainly nothing new. There is a long history of Trump's own close officials calling him a variety of insults and NBC News decided to put them all in one place on the air on Tuesday, with what anchor Hallie Jackson called their "insult list."
Screenshot MSNBC
The insults cited include:
"An idiot" - John Kelly, Chief of Staff
"F***ing moron" - Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State
A "dope"...intelligence of a "kindergartener" - H.R. McMaster, National Security Advisor
Dumb as s***" - Gary Cohn, Chief Economic Advisor
"Idiot" - Reince Priebus, Chief of Staff
As Jackson noted:
"If you notice, none of them work for Donald Trump anymore except for John Kelly."
Which could lend credence to the rumor that Kelly may be leaving the White House as soon as this summer.
Meanwhile, plenty of people have picked up on the story on the president's favorite social media site, Twitter. The number of Tweets repeating the string of insults cannot sit well with Trump.
Testimonials about @realDonaldTrump:
Rex Tillerson: “He's a f*cking moron" John Kelly: “He's an idiot" HR McMaster: “A dope with the intelligence of a kindergartner" All three attacked the media for the stories. None of the three denied they said it. https://t.co/12qcEvZgUd — Philippe Reines (@PhilippeReines) April 30, 2018
Trump Allies Describe Trump John Kelly: Idiot Tillerson: Moron Pruitt: Empty vessel Mnuchin Priebus Murdoch McMaster: Idiot Tom Barrack: Crazy stupid Cohn: Dumbs**t Bannon: 11-yr-old child Nunberg: Fool When number saying he's dumb = number of Cosby accusers (60), then it's true
— Rick G. Rosner (@dumbassgenius) April 30, 2018
H.R. McMaster, John Kelly and Rex Tillerson all think Trump is either an "idiot" or a f*cking moron".
When 3 top-ranking members of the President's cabinet think the President is a moron, the President is more than likely a moron. — Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) April 30, 2018
Feedback from Trump employees. @RealDonaldTrump is: "a moron" (Tillerson) "dumb as shit" (Cohn) "a dope" (McMaster) "an idiot" (Priebus, Mnuchin, Kelly) (last updated Apr. 30)
— West Wing Reports (@WestWingReport) April 30, 2018
Take a hike you moronic idiot. (not an insult, I am just quoting a secretary of state and a WH chief of staff here.)
— I will full my serve term - Paul Ryan (@GA14Indivisible) April 30, 2018
I find John Kelly's comments on Trump's intelligence disrespectful, unpleasant, vicious, rude and insulting to idiots.
— LiberalBookwormJim (@goodoldcatchy) April 30, 2018
#Trump Nicknames:
Tillerson: "MORON" Kelly: "IDIOT" KimJongUn "DOTARD" Putin: "USEFUL IDIOT" Rest of World "BUFFOON" Fun little tidbit:⬇ If U Google Dotard, it Auto-Fills Trump 👍🤡👍🤡👍🤡👍🤡👍🤡👍🤡👍 — Raging Bull NO TRUMP (@ToDropADime2) April 30, 2018
Many speculated that the stories about Kelly's insults are a deliberate ploy by other members of Trump's staff intended to get the retired general fired like several of his predecessors who also reportedly insulted Trump.
And 2 of the 3 were fired...clock's a ticken' for John Kelly...⏰⏰⏰ @realDonaldTrump can't stand to have his thin skinned feelings hurt. The little baby is what his supporters might call...if I recall the insult correctly, a snowflake (insert eye roll here) ❄❄❄🙄🙄🙄
— Wendy Phillips🌊 (@wendyphi) May 1, 2018
BREAKING: NBC reported that White House Chief of Staff John Kelly called Trump "an idiot"
Trump Will NOW Fire Him — PoliticsVideoChannel (@politvidchannel) April 30, 2018
If Trump fires John Kelly for the sole reason that he called Trump an idiot, then Trump will just be proving him right:
Trump is an idiot. — Kylie 🦋 (@RosarioKKYLIE) April 30, 2018
BREAKING: NBC just reported that White House Chief of Staff John Kelly called Trump "an idiot" according to White House staffers. I think it's pretty safe to say that Trump's ego will drive him to fire Kelly very soon, now that this news is out.
— Ed Krassenstein 💎 (@EdKrassen) April 30, 2018
John Kelly has referred to Trump as "an idiot" multiple times, NBC News reports.
Some current and former officials said they expect Kelly to leave by July, and that Trump and Kelly seem to have tired of each other. https://t.co/LltG93gcaM — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 30, 2018
If JOHN Kelly is calling Trump an idiot behind the scenes, all the more reason to keep him. Smells like Ivanka and Jared leaking.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) April 30, 2018
One person even went so far as to create a trivia poll about the insults allegedly hurled at the president by his own staff.
At least four top Trump administration officials (past and present) – John Kelly, H.R. McMaster, Rex Tillerson and Gary Cohn – have ALL referred to @realDonaldTrump using the SAME derogatory word. Which insult did ALL of them use to describe Trump?#ImpeachTrump #ImpeachTrumpNow
— Jon Cooper 🌊 (@joncoopertweets) April 30, 2018
@lacho_ai/X
@MimzyNGB/X
@ecofishsex/X
@EriahSteve/X
@Hetty714/X