Battlefield to the Situation Room: Lessons From a Lifetime of Public Service | General John F. Kelly | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

General John Kelly discusses his upbringing, military career, and role as Chief of Staff under President Donald Trump.

Key Insights

• 💙 General Kelly's upbringing in a blue-collar Boston neighborhood influenced his decision to join the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
• 😜 He served in the military for 45 years, rising to the rank of Brigadier General and experiencing combat deployments.
• 💄 As Chief of Staff, General Kelly aimed to provide informed decision-making support to President Trump and ensure interagency coordination.
• 😑 He expressed the importance of civility in political discourse and encouraged young people to get involved in their communities.

Transcript

some people were surprised that you would accept my invitation so first thing I want to say is that thank you very much for accepting my invitation sir it's a it's a big honor to have you here and you know there's no grudges in sports and politics that I got to tell you I love your career so I love your service to the country and I couldn't be prou... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did General Kelly's upbringing in Boston influence his decision to join the Marine Corps?

General Kelly grew up in a predominantly Irish Catholic neighborhood where many men were veterans of World War II or the Korean War. The influence of these war veterans and the draft notice for the Vietnam War prompted him to join the Marine Corps.

Q: What factors contributed to General Kelly's decision to extend his military career for 45 years?

General Kelly initially did not anticipate making the military a long-term career. However, he found purpose and enjoyment in his service, despite the sacrifices and hardships, and credits his wife and children for their support.

Q: How did General Kelly's role as Chief of Staff under President Trump influence his decision-making process?

General Kelly's role as Chief of Staff was to ensure the President was well-informed and had the necessary staff and resources to make informed decisions. He facilitated discussions with experts from various fields to provide different perspectives on issues such as Afghanistan and Syria.

Q: What were General Kelly's thoughts and actions regarding the child separation policy at the border?

General Kelly acknowledged that the child separation policy was poorly executed and resulted from a lack of coordination between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. He emphasized the need to address the backlog in processing immigration cases and change laws related to immigration.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• General John Kelly grew up in Boston in a blue-collar, predominantly Irish Catholic neighborhood and joined the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.

• He served in the military for 45 years, including combat deployments, and eventually became the first Marine Corps officer promoted to the rank of Brigadier General since 1951.

• As Chief of Staff under President Trump, Kelly worked to provide the President with well-informed decisions and manage interagency coordination.