News Is Real And ‘Deep State’ Isn’t, Says Former Trump Chief Kelly

DALLAS -- Gen. John Kelly pushed back today on the "Fake News" and "Deep State" themes backed by his former boss, President Donald Trump, and many of his supporters.

General John Kelly takes the stage at #NAILBA38! Thank you @AXA! pic.twitter.com/0ztf056m0l

— NAILBA (@NAILBA) November 8, 2019

Trump frequently tweets "fake news" charges at the political press, which he calls "the enemy of the people," phrases his supporters often repeat.

A free press is crucial to a free democracy, Kelly said.

"I do disagree a lot of times with the criticism of the press," he said. "This president seems sometimes to listen to Fox News and not much else."

Gen. John Kelly: "I do disagree a lot of times with the criticism of the press. This president seems sometimes to listen to Fox News and not much else. It's critical for a democracy to have a free press." #NAILBA38

— INNJohn (@INNJohnH) November 8, 2019

Kelly, 69, a four-star general and commander of the United States Southern Command when he retired from Marines after 46 years in uniform, admitted to his own past frustrations with the media.

"They seldom wrote the story that I wanted to read," he said, "but when you read the story, you said 'Boy, they got it right.'"

Gen. John Kelly: "I do disagree a lot of times with the criticism of the press. This president seems sometimes to listen to Fox News and not much else. It's critical for a democracy to have a free press." #NAILBA38

— INNJohn (@INNJohnH) November 8, 2019

Trump's chief of staff for 17 months, Kelly spoke about sacrifice, leadership and his experiences as a political neophyte inside the Beltway at the National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies annual meeting.

After a short retirement period, Kelly described getting the call from then-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus ("I didn't even know that was a name") to come out of retirement and lead the Department of Homeland Security in 2017.

Different Styles

After six months there, Kelly replaced Priebus. The clash of backgrounds and styles between Kelly and Trump would be reported on extensively until Kelly himself stepped aside in January 2019.

"No, he's not qualified," Kelly said of Trump. "No one is qualified to be president. It's such an immense job. It covers every single imaginable topic."

Kelly described instilling discipline in the White House staff by urging them to abide by their oath to the U.S. Constitution first. He expressed pride in the results.

Trump was another story. A president must be able to receive and process information from experts, Kelly said, and he tried to give the president waves of information on key issues from industry experts to relevant cabinet staff.

U want leadership? Gen John Kelly who says he never raised his voice to a subordinate AS A MARINE! As well as a public servant #NAILBA38 pic.twitter.com/6Uf2eBz22o

— Ray Phillips (@raytbs) November 8, 2019

Trump has a very "flat" delegation process, he said, meaning few layers. Trump likes to tell subordinates directly what he wants accomplished. And sometimes his mind could not be changed, Kelly said.

"Many, many times I disagreed with what he wanted to do, but if it was legal, moral, ethical and I ran out of ideas to try and change his mind -- we did it," he said.

Kelly repeated comments that have garnered recent headlines, and acknowledged it could be taken as criticism, adding that he didn't mean it that way: "I look at what's going on now and I often say 'sometimes I wish I was still there.' I look at what's going on and sometimes it doesn't look like it's very tight."

Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney is known for a more hands-off approach with Trump.

Kelly was asked about ongoing proceedings by Democrats to remove Trump from office, but did not directly address "this impeachment thing." Hopefully, it is over soon, one way or another, Kelly said, and elected officials can resume progress on important issues.

"I don't believe in the so-called 'Deep State,'" Kelly added, alluding to a popular theory pushed by the far right that a secret cabal of government employees are conspiring to bring Trump down.

'It's Not Me'

Levity ensued when a questioner asked about "Anonymous," the supposed high-ranking government employee who wrote a New York Times' essay earlier this year declaring Trump unfit for office. "Anonymous" has a book coming out Nov. 19.

"I'm not coming out of the closet on this," Kelly said to laughter. "It's not me, I can tell you that."

Turning serious, he had his own criticism for the unknown author.

"I would be very, very disappointed if it were proven that people are, as this 'anonymous' claims, that people are working against the president," Kelly said. "I didn't see it as chief of staff. I would have known if people in the Oval Office were working against the president."

The Kellys remain a military family. His two sons -- Robert and John Jr. -- both joined the Marines. Robert, 29, was killed in 2010 after he stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan. John Jr. is a lieutenant colonel.

The fight against radical Islam and ISIS will not end anytime soon, Kelly said.

"They've taken a great religion and twisted it to fit their own desires," he said of Islamic radicals. "My granddaughter might see the end of this war, but I don't think my son will. And I know I won't."

InsuranceNewsNet Senior Editor John Hilton has covered business and other beats in more than 20 years of daily journalism. John may be reached at john.hilton@innfeedback.com. Follow him on Twitter @INNJohnH.

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