File 030868
Email with Raw Story Article on Trump's Early Presidency Frustrations (File 030868)
Email from Paul Krassner to Jeffrey E. dated February 10, 2017, forwarding a Raw Story article about President Trump's reported frustration and difficulties during his first weeks in office, discussing White House staff morale, internal conflicts, and leaked phone calls.
Summary
This document is an email containing a Raw Story article from February 10, 2017 reporting on President Trump's struggles during his first three weeks in office. The article, based on interviews with nearly two dozen people close to Trump, describes a chaotic White House environment marked by unclear job duties, low morale, internal factionalism, and exhaustion among staff. Trump is reported to be frustrated with the realities of governing, infuriated by leaks of his phone calls with world leaders, and preferring to delegate detailed matters to Jared Kushner, Steve Bannon, and Paul Ryan.
From: paul krassnerSent: 2/10/2017 3:43:30 PMTo: jeffrey E. [jeevacation@gmail.com]Subject: hey heyAttachments: default.gifImportance: HighTop of FormSearch ...Bottom of Form'He doesn't like this sh*t': Trumpreportedly hates his job and his staff afterless than a monthTRAVIS GETTYS10 FEB 2017 AT 08:38 ETHOUSE OVERSIGHT 030868Donald Trump (screen capture)DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY!After just three weeks on the job, President Donald Trump is reportedly frustrated with the realities of trying torun the U.S. government the way he manages his family-owned business.Politico interviewed nearly two dozen people who have spent time with the former real estate developer andreality TV star since his inauguration — and they said Trump's "mood has careened between surprise and angeras he's faced the predictable realities of governing," according to the report."The interviews paint a picture of a powder-keg of a workplace where job duties are unclear, morale amongsome is low, factionalism is rampant and exhaustion is running high," Politico reported. "Two visitors to theWhite House last week said they were struck by how tired the staff looks."Trump would like to shake up his White House staff less than a month into the job but knows it's too soon, thewebsite reported, and aides joke that the president would like to spend even more time golfing at his Mar-A-Lago resort.Sources close to Trump said he's infuriated by the profusion of leaks revealing his confrontational phone callswith world leaders and the herky-jerky inner workings of the White House.The White House has launched an investigation of those leaks that appears to be focused on the NationalSecurity Council, based on the Politico report.NSC staffers have been instructed to cooperate with the inquiry, and the administration may tighten the innercircle of aides who have access to the calls and their transcripts, the website reported.A culture of fear and paranoia is developing, pitting the president and his allies against career NSC staffassigned from other agencies.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030869The Trump circle believe those career bureaucrats are out to get them, while NSC staffers are concerned thepresident isn't up to the job and resent the politicization of the agency by appointing Bannon to the council.Staffers fear Kushner because he's so close to the president, and they aren't really sure of his official role in theWhite House.For his part, Kushner is furious at reports that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has been saying he will join theWhite House as part of a "second wave" after the president's son-in-law got him banished from the transitionteam as retribution for prosecuting his father.Sources said Trump often asks simple questions about his job, and he usually changes the subject whendiscussions become too detail-oriented to make it seem as if he's in control, said one senior government official.Trump prefers to hand off detailed questions to his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, or to chief strategist SteveBannon or House Speaker Paul Ryan, the website reported.Those sources also revealed that Trump has privately expressed disbelief that judges, bureaucrats andlawmakers are able to halt him from filling government positions or implementing policies."He doesn't like this sh*t," a source told Politico, referring to the difficulties Trump faced in getting one of histop fundraisers, Anthony Scaramucci, appointed to a job in the West Wing.However, sources said Trump appears to enjoy showing visitors around the Oval Office, where he spends mostof his working hours, and keeping tabs on how his staffers look on TV news.HOUSE OVERSIGHT 030870