President Trump is “a super smart guy,” according to White House chief of staff John Kelly.
In an interview with NPR, Kelly complimented his boss’s ability to quickly pick up on a variety of topics.
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“He’s very strong in terms of trade, taxes, business, and he’s a quick study on everything else,” Kelly told NPR’s John Burnett for “Morning Edition,” “He’s a pretty bright guy.”
The effusive praise stands in contrast to comments Kelly has reportedly made about Trump in the past.
For instance, a report from NBC News in April said Kelly told other officials that Trump is an “idiot.” Kelly pushed back, calling that story “total BS.”
In January, Kelly told a group of Democrats that Trump’s campaign hard-line promises on immigration were not “fully formed.”
Also in January, Trump sent out a flurry of tweets snapping back at critics who questioned his mental health, asserting that he was “like, really smart” and a “stable genius.”
Kelly was hired last summer by the White House to replace former chief of staff Reince Priebus.
