To make room for Mr. Ayers, Mr. Trump, who famously avoids one-on-one interpersonal conflict, had been trying for awhile to pull the trigger on firing Mr. Kelly. Finally, Mr. Trump persuaded Mr. Pence and Mr. Ayers to join him in hashing things out with Mr. Kelly in the presidential residence on Friday night. But instead of sticking to the plan to let Mr. Kelly leave with dignity, which Mr. Ayers and others in the White House had urged the president to do, Mr. Trump decided to announce it himself on Saturday. Mr. Panetta recalled Mr. Clinton’s clincher:“‘You know Leon,’” Mr. Panetta said Mr. Clinton told him, “‘you could be the greatest O.M.B. director in the history of the country, but if the White House is falling apart, no one will remember you.’”

Source: New York Times December 11, 2018 01:28 UTC