With just two weeks to go until Election Day, The Atlantic rolled out yet another anti-Trump bombshell, this time with former Chief of Staff John Kelly claiming that Trump once praised H***er’s generals for their “total loyalty.” And just like clockwork, the media and the Biden-Harris campaign seized on the story, with Vice President Kamala Harris taking center stage to denounce Trump as “deeply troubling” and a “fascist.” However, not everyone buys Kelly’s claims, and former Pence advisers Keith Kellogg and Nick Ayers were quick to call out what they saw as little more than pre-election theatrics.
Kellogg, who served as a national security adviser under Trump and Pence, didn’t mince words. He called out Harris as a “fraud” and accused Kelly of “lying to the American people.” According to Kellogg, who was in the White House long after Kelly’s departure, these accusations are a “disservice to the Nation” at a critical moment.
Vice President Harris is a fraud. I was in the White House at a senior level much longer than General Kelly. He is complicit in this fraud and has lied to the American people. His lies, as well as John Bolton’s, are a disservice to Nation at this critical time. So are the VP’s. https://t.co/2b77pMsVVl
— Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) October 23, 2024
Meanwhile, Ayers, Pence’s former chief of staff, couldn’t stay silent any longer, calling Kelly’s story “patently false” and noting he spent more time with both Trump and Kelly than most. His message was clear: this isn’t about honesty or transparency; it’s about a pre-election narrative.
I’ve avoided commenting on intra-staff leaks or rumors or even lies as it relates to my time at the White House but General Kelly’s comments regarding President Trump are too egregious to ignore. I was with each of them more than most, and his commentary is *patently false.* pic.twitter.com/T167w9GSv1
— Nick Ayers (@nick_ayers) October 23, 2024
But, of course, Harris ran with it. Barely a day after The Atlantic piece was published, she held a press conference condemning Trump and later ramped up the rhetoric in a CNN town hall with Anderson Cooper. It’s all classic campaign strategy: use unproven allegations to cast a shadow over Trump’s reputation, especially among swing voters who might be tuning in more closely as Election Day nears. Harris seems ready to stick to the script, but what she’s lacking is evidence. This story is yet another case of anonymous sources and conveniently timed “revelations.”
Then there’s Trump’s response, which was, unsurprisingly, vintage Trump. On Truth Social, he called Kelly “a total degenerate” and described him as “tough and dumb,” claiming that the story was a complete fabrication. Trump’s tone may not win points for subtlety, but he’s never been one for passive responses, especially when accusations as explosive as these are involved. His rebuttal included a straightforward dismissal of the claims about the funeral bill, with former administration officials and the fallen soldier’s family backing him up.
“This guy had two qualities which don’t work well together. He was tough and dumb,” Trump added. “The problem is his toughness morphed into weakness because he became JELLO with time! The story about the Soldiers was A LIE, as are numerous other stories he told. Even though I shouldn’t be wasting my time with him, I always feel it’s necessary to hit back in pursuit of THE TRUTH.”
What we’re left with is a political circus. The Atlantic publishes a “shocking” story, Harris and the media pile on, and former Trump insiders with firsthand knowledge refute the claims. It’s a familiar cycle, one that’s come to define each election season, especially where Trump is concerned. But this time, it’s not just the usual D.C. insiders pushing back; it’s two of Mike Pence’s top advisers—hardly the type to shy away from speaking up if they thought Kelly was onto something.
With early voting already underway, voters are left to sort through the noise, but as Ayers put it, Kelly’s “patently false” claims should be taken with a grain of salt. Ultimately, this election will come down to what voters see and feel, not the latest recycled story designed to stoke outrage and distract from issues that matter.
