John Kelly Slams Successors Mulvaney and Meadows: Capitol Violence Happens ‘When You Let Trump Be Trump’

Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly did not mince words when asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper about the unique managerial dynamic during the former Army General’s service to President Donald Trump.

Tapper noted that multiple sources had told CNN that President Trump was” borderline enthusiastic over the riots,” before asking if that surprised General Kely.  It did not.

“I worked very, very closely, every day, for 18 months with the president,” Kelly explained. “And from a distance, you have — it’s impossible to understand who he actually is. But when you work closely with him, you understand.”

“He’s a very, very flawed human being,” Kelly said of Trump. “It doesn’t surprise me.”

He then shared a story about his leaving the White House. “I really implored the president to hire the right guy to be his chief of staff, someone who will tell him the truth, someone who will try to keep him on the straight and narrow. I said, please don’t hire a boot licker or yes man, because you will be impeached.”

“Toward the end of my time there,” he continued, “all I ever heard from these devotees in the white house is you have to let trump be trump. Let Trump be Trump. Well, let me just say, this is what happens. Yesterday and other things he has done in the last two years comes as a result of letting Trump be Trump.”

“Your replacement was Mick Mulvaney, one of Trump’s biggest enablers as chief of staff,” Tapper added, noting that he has resigned from the Trump Administration earlier today.

Kelly demurred on direct criticism of Mulvaney or current Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and instead focused on his own story. “I got to know the president very, very, very well. I don’t think he has changed one little bit. You know, when the guardrails are off, it’s very predictable he will do the kind of things he has been doing.”

Watch above via CNN.