Second Trump term would be ‘nonstop gunfight,’ John Kelly says

One of former President Donald Trump’s top White House advisers said a second term for the 77-year-old would create chaos and lead to a “nonstop gunfight” with judges and lawmakers.

“It would be chaotic,” former White House chief of staff John Kelly said of Trump taking power again. 

“It just simply would be chaotic, because he’d continually be trying to exceed his authority but the sycophants would go along with it. It would be a nonstop gunfight with the Congress and the courts,” Kelly told the New York Times. 

Trump is the current front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, with a RealClearPolitics average of polls putting him ahead of his top opponent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, by more than 34 points. 

Kelly, a former Marine Corps general who first joined Trump’s administration as homeland security secretary, replaced Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff in July 2017 and served in that role until January 2019. 

Kelly had little success at stopping the drama and disharmony in the White House despite taking on the role with the goal of instilling military-like discipline in the Executive Mansion. 

Since leaving the administration, Kelly has reportedly described Trump as “the most flawed person” he’s ever known and has said, “The depths of his dishonesty is just astounding to me. The dishonesty, the transactional nature of every relationship, though it’s more pathetic than anything else.” 

Last month, Kelly suggested that Trump is more terrified by the federal charges related to his alleged mishandling and concealment of White House documents than he’s letting on.

“He’s scared s–tless,” the former White House chief of staff told the Washington Post. 

“For the first time in his life, it looks like he’s being held accountable. Up until this point in his life, it’s like, ‘I’m not going to pay you; take me to court.’ He’s never been held accountable before,” the former Trump aide argued.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 felony counts related to the classified documents scandal.