Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly has delivered a blistering condemnation of Donald Trump, his one-time boss, for what he describes as repeated disparaging remarks about U.S. service members and veterans. Kelly’s statement also accuses Trump of widespread untruthfulness regarding his stances on a range of societal groups and issues, including abortion.
In a statement released to CNN, Kelly confirmed reports that initially surfaced in a 2020 article in The Atlantic, detailing Trump’s deeply troubling private comments made during his presidency. Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, did not hold back in his criticism.
“This is a person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there is nothing in it for them,'” Kelly stated emphatically, encapsulating the core of his grievance against Trump. He further elaborated on Trump’s alleged callousness, saying he is, “A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family — for all Gold Star families — on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in America’s defense are ‘losers’ and wouldn’t visit their graves in France.”
The Atlantic’s 2020 report painted a disturbing picture of Trump’s private views on military service and sacrifice. It claimed that Trump had denigrated figures like the late Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona and a Vietnam War prisoner, and former President George H.W. Bush, who survived being shot down as a Navy pilot during World War II. Adding to these accusations, the report detailed an incident during Trump’s 2018 visit to France for the centennial of World War I’s end. During this trip, Trump allegedly referred to Marines who perished at the Battle of Belleau Wood as “suckers” and labeled the fallen soldiers at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery as “losers.” These allegations, now reinforced by Kelly’s statement, cast a long shadow over Trump’s relationship with the military community.
Kelly broadened his critique beyond Trump’s alleged disrespect for the military, asserting that Trump “is not truthful regarding his position on the protection of unborn life, on women, on minorities, on evangelical Christians, on Jews, on working men and women. A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about.” This sweeping condemnation suggests Kelly believes Trump’s lack of integrity extends across numerous facets of American society and values.
Further intensifying his attack, Kelly pointed to Trump’s recent rhetoric concerning Army Gen. Mark Milley, the recently retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “A person who cavalierly suggests that a selfless warrior who has served his country for 40 years in peacetime and war should lose his life for treason — in expectation that someone will take action,” Kelly stated. This is a clear reference to Trump’s controversial remarks about Milley, adding another layer to Kelly’s portrayal of Trump as reckless and dangerous in his pronouncements. Kelly continued, “A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.”
Concluding his statement with a sense of grave concern, Kelly simply stated, “There is nothing more that can be said. God help us.” This stark and ominous ending underscores the depth of Kelly’s disillusionment and worry about the future.
In response to Kelly’s scathing remarks, Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, dismissed the accusations. Cheung told NBC News, “John Kelly has totally clowned himself with these debunked stories he’s made up because he didn’t serve his President well while working as Chief of Staff.” This retort from Trump’s camp indicates a continuation of the pattern of denial and counter-attack that has become characteristic of responses to criticism of the former president.
John Kelly’s tenure as Trump’s chief of staff was itself a period of significant turbulence within the White House. He stepped down in 2018 amidst widespread reports of clashes with Trump and other West Wing personnel. Prior to becoming chief of staff, Kelly served as Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security. His appointment as chief of staff in July 2017 followed the abrupt departure of Reince Priebus after only six months in the role, highlighting the volatile atmosphere within the Trump administration from its early days.
Kelly previously found himself at odds with Trump when he defended then-Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman in 2020. Vindman had reported concerns about Trump’s now-infamous July 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a call that ultimately led to Trump’s first impeachment. During that call, Trump pressed Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter, along with Democrats. While the House impeached Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, the Senate subsequently acquitted him.
Throughout Kelly’s time in the Trump White House, there were numerous indications that he was increasingly weary and frustrated by the demands of the position and Trump’s unpredictable nature. His public break with Trump, marked by this strongly worded statement, represents a significant moment, further illuminating the controversies and internal conflicts that defined the Trump presidency.
