The Trump Presidency
Utter Chaos

Amid Trump tantrum, John Kelly ditched Las Vegas trip while Pence stewed and Rex 'scrambled'

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Amid Trump tantrum, John Kelly ditched Las Vegas trip while Pence stewed and Rex 'scrambled'


WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 18: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence listens as President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media during a lunch with armed service members at the Roosevelt Room of the White House July 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. President Trump took questions from the press and discussed the status of the healthcare legislation. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

All angry, all the time.

In which we find out that Donald Trump had an absolute gasket-blowing meltdown when he found out Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had called him a 'fucking moron.'

Four senior administration officials said Trump first learned on Wednesday that Tillerson had disparaged him after a July 20 national security meeting at the Pentagon. Trump vented to Kelly Wednesday morning, leading Kelly to scrap plans to travel with the president to Las Vegas to meet with victims and first responders in Sunday’s mass shooting. [...] For the next two hours the president fumed inside the White House, venting to Kelly, officials said.

He left for Las Vegas shortly after 8 a.m., 20 minutes behind schedule.

Sorry about your mass shooting, America, but THE PRESIDENT IS HAVING A MOMENT HERE.

NBC sources their report to 'six senior administration officials,' which suggests that nobody in the White House is concerned over portraying their boss as once again flying off the handle over even the mere rumor of criticism. It also portrays Team Tire Fire as just as burninating as ever, with Kelly removing himself from the Las Vegas trip to do unspecified damage control while Mike Pence has a separate fit for reasons of his own.

Pence was incensed upon learning from the NBC report that Tillerson’s top spokesman had said he once privately questioned the value of Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Officials said the spokesman, R.C. Hammond, fabricated an anecdote that Pence had asked Tillerson in a meeting whether Haley, who is seen as a possible successor if Tillerson, is helpful or harmful to the administration.

Is this a White House or a freaking episode of Dawson's Creek? Will Mike Pence make up with RC? Will John Kelly disinvite Rex Tillerson to the prom? Will Rex swallow his pride and apologize before the big football game? Tune in next week to find out!