“He’s an idiot. It’s pointless to try to convince him of anything. He’s gone off the rails. We’re in Crazytown. I don’t even know why any of us are here. This is the worst job I’ve ever had.”
—John Kelly, as quoted in Bob Woodward’s book Fear: Trump in the White House.
Fmr. Secretary of Homeland Security
Jul. 31, 2017 – Jan. 2, 2019
Fmr. White House Chief of Staff
Jan. 20, 2017 – Jul. 31, 2017
A retired Marine Corps general, John Kelly was, at one time, the top U.S. military official tasked with overseeing the infamous military detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Kelly was known for his public opposition to then-President Obama’s efforts to have it closed, and was even alleged to have hindered efforts to transfer prisoners out of the facility and preventing its closure. A proponent of so-called “enhanced interrogation tactics” (see: torture), Kelly’s most controversial days, in many ways, still awaited him in the Trump administration.
As Secretary of Homeland Security under Trump, Kelly greatly expanded the criteria of immigrants targeted for deportation, proposed and enacted a policy of separating immigrant children from their parents ‘to deter immigration’, and threatened to eliminate DACA. Kelly was also in charge of enforcing among Trumps more blatantly prejudiced policies – the original travel ban on people from seven majority Muslim countries, better known as the “Muslim Ban”.
John F. Kelly | ProPublica: Trump Town
Notables
- Failed to disclose in his government ethics filings that he was serving as vice chairman of a defense contractor lobbying firm, and was a board member on two other defense contractors that work with the U.S. government.
Kelly fails to disclose defense contractor ties | The Intercept (1.17.17)
- Defended the use of enhanced interrogation methods such as waterboarding and the rectal feeding of hunger-striking inmates.
Guantanamo general: ‘Foolishness’ to say U.S. has lost moral high ground on human rights | Washington Post (12.11.14)
- Claims marijuana “is a potentially dangerous gateway drug” and assured that as head of DHS, he would treat marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug in accordance with federal guidelines.
DHS’s Kelly joins Sessions in signaling a hard line on legalized marijuana | Miami Herald (4.18.17)
- Said a “lack of ability to compromise led to the Civil War”.
John Kelly Pins Civil War on a ‘Lack of Ability to Compromise’ | New York Times (10.31.17)
General Kelly: Trump’s Wall Promises Were ‘Not Fully Informed’ | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (1.19.18)
Image credit: EJ Hersom / DoD