Kelly: No consideration on leaving White House despite ‘times of great frustration’

White House chief of staff John Kelly says in a new interview that he has not seriously considered leaving his job, despite regular reports that he’s clashed with President Trump.

“I mean, there’s times of great frustration, mostly because of the stories I’ve read about myself or others that I think the world of which is just about everyone that works at the complex,” Kelly told NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

“I wonder if it’s worth it to be subjected to that. But then I grow up and suck it up,” he added.

{mosads}

Kelly complimented Trump as a “pretty bright guy,” and lamented that he was not able to serve as chief of staff for the president’s entire term thus far. 

Trump first appointed Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, as his Homeland Security secretary, but tapped him to replace Reince Priebus as his chief of staff last summer.

“It’s not that things were a disaster … for six months but I believe they could have been better,” Kelly said.

Kelly’s own White House tenure has been marked by periodic reports that he’s threatened to resign amid clashes with the president over policy and personnel issues. He is said to have lost influence with the president in recent months.

The White House chief of staff last month denied an NBC News report that he referred to Trump as an “idiot” and told other White House staffers that the president is a novice on policy issues.

“He always knows where I stand and he and I both know this story is total BS,” Kelly said in a statement at the time. “I am committed to the president, his agenda, and our country. This is another pathetic attempt to smear people close to President Trump and distract from the administration’s many successes.”