Key Words: Trump’s chief of staff Kelly says ‘I’m not quitting today’ — or being fired http://ift.tt/2gzCIjt

Reuters

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly takes questions while addressing the daily briefing at the White House on Thursday.

President Donald Trump’s chief of staff says he’s here to stay.

In a rare appearance at the daily White House briefing on Thursday, John Kelly said although he reads stories suggesting otherwise, he’s not going anywhere, even though it’s the “hardest job” he’s ever had.

I’m not quitting today. I don’t believe — and I just talked to the president — I don’t think I’m being fired today.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly

Kelly defended Trump and said one of the president’s frustration’s was “you,” speaking to a roomful of reporters.

The former Marine Corps general replaced Reince Priebus as chief of staff in July, and had served previously as secretary of homeland security.

Kelly spoke to reporters a day after Trump threatened to revoke the NBC’s broadcast license. Trump was incensed by a report that he wanted a tenfold increase in the U.S. nuclear arsenal. He called it “pure fiction.” Kelly told reporters to “develop better sources.”

He also weighed in on the selection of a new chairman at the Federal Reserve, as Janet Yellen’s term expires in February. He called all the candidates “first rounders” and said more interviews are to come. The Wall Street Journal reports that President Trump has talked to candidates including Yellen, Gary Cohn, Jerome Powell and Kevin Warsh.