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WASHINGTON – White House chief of staff John Kelly and national security adviser John Bolton pledged Thursday in an "explosive" match in front of the oval bureau, according to people close to the issue.
The argument, which was marked by several criticisms and went ahead early Thursday afternoon, was prompted by a recent report that the number of border crossings had increased last month, according to the report. one of the people.
The discussion focused on critics of the US Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, Kelly's close ally, who was previously his deputy to the White House, according to one of the people familiar with the issue. ;case. Mr. Kelly has often fiercely defended his former help.
The White House declined to comment on the episode. President Trump, questioned about the fight as he was leaving Washington for a campaign spurt in Montana on Thursday afternoon, said he was not aware of it. Someone familiar with the case said Mr. Trump was alerted to the fight at the time.
While the fight alarmed some employees who had heard it, according to people familiar with the case, no official should resign on it.
Trump has tweeted several times over the last few days about a caravan of migrants heading for the southern border of the United States. Earlier Thursday, he threatened to deploy the army and close the southern border if Mexico did not prevent an "assault" of Latin American migrants transiting through his country to reach the United States.
In August, more than 90,000 immigrants traveling with families had been stopped at the border in the previous 11 months, an increase of 27%. That number is expected to reach about 105,000 by the end of the federal fiscal year in September, according to one who is familiar with the government's data on border arrests. The previous record for a full year was 77,000.
The dispute arose as the White House sought a way to respond to the disappearance of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Mr. Trump said Thursday that he thought Mr. Khashoggi was dead but was waiting for the outcome of the Saudi and Turkish authorities' investigations to determine the consequences that the United States should impose. The White House and national security officials have been under intense pressure in recent days to determine what happened to Mr. Khashoggi and react accordingly.
Bloomberg reported the fight for the first time Thursday.
The episode uncovered the strong tensions in the White House, which tried to neutralize reports of chaos in its ranks. Messrs. Kelly and Bolton are two of Trump's closest associates, although the president and his chief of staff have had their share of tension during Kelly's fifteen-year tenure.
In July, Kelly told his associates that he accepted the president's request to remain in office during the 2020 election. But Bolton's role is somehow the symbol of M's loss of control. Kelly on the administration since entering last summer. While Mr. Kelly initially ordered all officials to report to him, Mr. Bolton reported directly to the President.
Write to Rebecca Ballhaus at [email protected]
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