Donald Trump has fired his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, but we’ve known that was coming for a long time, and this kind of chaos is standard operating procedure in his administration. I was more surprised by his firing of his personal assistant, John McEntee.
McEntee was one of the longest-serving aides to Trump and his position dates back to the early days of the campaign. Prior to that, it was mostly the president’s family that surrounded him, along with Stephen Miller, Dan Scavino and Hope Hicks.
He wasn’t well known in public but was constantly beside Trump for the last three years. His responsibilities consisted of having markers for Trump to sign autographs, delivering messages to the residence and ensuring the clocks in the White House residence were adjusted for daylight-savings.
Or rather, I’m not surprised at the firing, I’m rather more surprised that this job even existed. I could do those things! Maybe I’m more capable of a job in government than I ever expected. I’m honestly trying to imagine holding a position where my duties involve only being presentable, having a selection of pens in my pocket, and being able to carry pieces of paper. Of course there was the terrible twice yearly stress of having to cope with time changes.
I’m also impressed that someone could fall short in his performance of such a job.
I wonder if White House HR will be posting an ad for his replacement? I’d be curious to see the job requirements.
Maybe he’ll hire Stormy Daniels, just to keep her quiet. Mind you the bill for the “special” services Trump would likely want from her might be a bit high…
Tillerson got fired within hours of being mean to Russia. Quelle surprise.
The timing though…
Trump: I am not now and never have been in collusion with Russia.
Tillerson: Hey, that nerve-agent looked kinda Russian.
Trump: You’re fired.
I’d have trouble with the “being presentable” part (especially as defined by Trump).
And apparently, Tillerson learned about it from the tweet…
Read the rest of the article. McEntee was fired, it seems, for failing a background check (likely because of similar connections that Kushner has that cost him his own clearance). As a security risk, the secret service had no choice but to escort him out immediately without time to clear his office. He’s still loyal to Trump and now on the 2020 Campaign staff as a senior adviser (basically his old job back in 2016).
“New: Trump’s personal aide Johnny McEntee was fired because he is currently under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security for serious financial crimes, a source familiar with his firing tells @kaitlancollins”
He’s already been hired by Trump’s campaign. (Seriously – they’ve already made the announcement.)
No offence PZ, but you would fail at the sycophancy requirement.
and the report from the republican part of the committee concerning Russia and the 2016 election is out and the conclusion is there was no collusion! yeh!
uncle frogy
Cross posted from the Political Madness All the Time thread.
After firing Tillerson, Trump said that he is getting close to having the cabinet that he wants. That’s scary.
Trump also said that he and Pompeo are on the same wavelength or that they think alike. That’s scary.
Pompeo has been identified as a guy who “was far too partisan to be a good fit at the Central Intelligence Agency, and who had an unfortunate habit of politicizing intelligence.”
From Steve Benen:
Hey, what happened to the supposed “suicide pact” among Tillerson, Mattis, and Kelly?
Does being presentable mean wearing Trump-brand suits?
Does this administration have anyone at a senior level with any actual experience in the running of a government? Congress members and senators don’t count unless they have n executive experience rather than legislative.
Come to think of it, is there anyone at the senior levels? I think I just heard there is no US ambassador to South Korea?
KellyMnuchin.I found it. It’s on the Office of Personnel Management’s site:
“The candidate must be presentable and well-organized, discreet, submissive, thick-skinned, and willing to work for a fucking moron.”
The fascist Trump is a big fan of that murderous fascist Putin. Yesterday Tillerson blamed Russia for the disgusting nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England. Das ist VERBOTEN.
“Trump: I am not now and never have been in collusion with Russia.
Tillerson: Hey, that nerve-agent looked kinda Russian.
Trump: You’re fired.”
Hah. Stolen by me and twitterfied,,,
I read that the State Department aide who revealed that Tillerson learned he’d been fired by tweet, Under Secretary Steve Goldstein, has also been fired.
ashley@17,
The BBC is largely avoiding linking Tillerson’s statement on the Skripal poisoning with his firing, and AP reports that John Kelly told Tillerson on Friday to look out for a Trumptweet about him. But even if the firing had already been decided (by no means certain), the combination of the timing, and the complete silence from tweetarrhoea Trump over the poisoning, when he’s ready to sound off whenever there’s a possible Islamist attack in the UK, speaks volumes.
Ed Seedhouse #18:
You’re welcome.
Feel free to @ me.
My guess: being a hybrid of Waylon Smithers and Kif Kroker.
(Crossposted from Political Madness)
With the way this administration is losing/firing staff, and the few people who are interested in working in that clusterfuck, Wife is wondering how long it is until Chuck Norris is appointed to a high government position.
Oggie @22: He can’t be any more incompetent than DeVos or Carson. A turnip would do better than them.
Gas on fire time: in this chain of promotions, remember the name Gina Haspel. War criminal. CIA leader appointee. Bush filth returns to the news.
So is there anyone left who’s not a complete butt-kisser (as opposed to being only a mostly butt-kisser)?
OMG they fired Gary!! (Veep reference)
“A turnip would do better than [potential Trump picks]”
Replacing the entire Trump administration with a single turnip would be far better for not just the USA, but also for the entire world.
Unless I’m mistaken, you work for/at a public liberal arts college. You already have a job in government!
I’m curious how much he was paid.
Fired over failing a security check? And here I was thinking it might have been a result of accidentally telling Trump, “No, you don’t ‘eat’ hair jell! Err, I mean…”
Doesn’t the fact that trump has clearance make all other security clearance issues moot?
P.s. I’m NOT saying that’s a good thing!
Trump was on the news blaming Russia for the attack in Salisbury, and Nikki Haley was going on about it at the UN.
That Putin sure is tricksy!