Trump shifts retired Marine general from Homeland Security to replace fired White House chief of staff
By
Barry Grey
29 July 2017
President Donald Trump capped off another week of turmoil in the White House by announcing Friday afternoon that Reince Priebus, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), was out as White House chief of staff, replaced by current Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, a retired Marine general.
The announcement followed several days of vicious and profanity-laced attacks on Priebus by Anthony Scaramucci, the multi-millionaire hedge fund operator and Trump crony who was named White House communications director one week before, on July 21. Scaramucci, who has threatened to fire the entire communications staff to halt the flow of leaks from the White House, publicly accused Priebus of leaking damaging information to the press.
The appointment of Scaramucci had been vigorously opposed by Priebus and his main ally in the White House, Sean Spicer, who responded to the move by announcing his resignation as White House press secretary. Prior to joining the Trump team, Spicer was spokesman for the RNC.
Trump has in recent days also singled out Attorney General Jeff Sessions for public criticism and ridicule, denouncing him for having recused himself in the Justice Department investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign. In addition, Trump attacked Sessions for failing to stop leaks by the intelligence agencies and other government sources and refraining from investigating the supposed crimes of his defeated presidential rival, Hillary Clinton.
The public attacks on Sessions as well as other top Justice Department officials and special counsel Robert…