REPORT: President Trump Overruled General Kelly and Kirstjen Nielsen on Allowing Military To Defend Themselves With Lethal Force
Patrick Howley
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President Donald Trump reportedly overruled General Kelly, the White House chief of staff, and Department of Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen. Kelly and Nielsen reportedly did not think that President Trump should allow the military at the Southern border to use lethal force if attacked by members of the migrant Caravan.
Tensions are running high as the Caravan arrives at the un-Walled border, and the Stephen Miller wing of the White House is apparently at odds with Kelly and Nielsen. Trump sided with the so-called immigration hawks over the chief of staff and the DHS head. Kelly and Nielsen are not popular with members of the border patrol union, according to insiders, which is unfortunate for the White House during this time of increasing left-wing chaos. There was reportedly an argument in the White House on the “lethal force” order.
A three-source article about the dustup landed in The Politico, which reported: “Several White House aides and external advisers who have supported the president’s hawkish immigration agenda attended the Monday meeting, which devolved into a melee pitting two of Trump’s embattled aides, White House chief of staff John Kelly and Department of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, against other attendees, according to three people briefed on the exchange. Kelly and Nielsen initially argued against signing the declaration, which granted the military broad authority at the border, telling the president that the move was beyond his constitutional powers. They were vocally opposed by, among others, senior policy adviser Stephen Miller; Chris Crane, president of the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council; and Brandon Judd, president of the border patrol union. Also present was Vice President Mike Pence, who did not take a stand on the issue, according to one of the people briefed on the debate. Kelly and Nielsen eventually came around to the president’s position, and the bitter dispute ended Tuesday evening when Kelly, on Trump’s orders, signed a Cabinet declaration granting the military the disputed authority. The move ran afoul of the guidance offered by the White House counsel, Emmet Flood, who cautioned that it was likely to run into constitutional roadblocks, according to a second source familiar with the conversations.” Politico passage ends
That was a pretty elaborate description.
General Kelly’s military service is distinguished, and Trump Nation appreciates that. But as Kelly consistently loses influence, he and his successor at DHS Kirstjen Nielsen seem to be disagreeing with the President at a very inopportune time.
The Caravan met resistance in Mexico, with residents of Tijuana expressing their very strong opinion that the Caravan of Central American migrants from countries including Honduras should leave their city. “Out! Out!” and “Tijuana First” were among their statements.
Here’s a CBC report encapsulating the melee:
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