John Kelly cheerfully tells the press 'I'm not quitting today'

John Kelly.
(Image credit: Screenshot/The White House/CBS News)

Chief of Staff John Kelly spontaneously told the press that "I'm not quitting today" during a rare press conference at the White House on Thursday. "Although I read it all the time, pretty consistently, I'm not quitting today," Kelly said. "I don't believe — and I just talked to the president — I don't believe I'm being fired today. I am not so frustrated in this job that I'm thinking of leaving."

While Kelly's dry delivery had a hint of humor, his comments also appeared to be an attempt to stave off rampant speculation about White House chaos. "Allies see signs that Trump is frustrated with Kelly and increasingly unwilling to be managed, even just a little," the Los Angeles Times reported this week. "[A] person close to the White House said the two men had engaged in 'shouting matches' in recent days."

Kelly, though, seemed in good spirits Thursday. "Unless things change, I'm not quitting, I'm not getting fired, and I don't think I'll fire anyone tomorrow," he said. Jeva Lange

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.