I read several news articles this evening about the White House being in chaos. That\u2019s become a popular and frequent genre of news article this past year or so; I generally try to avoid indulging in too much schadenfreude, but I still get a certain frisson from these kinds of articles.<\/p>\r\n
Especially when otherwise journalistically-neutral-tone pieces veer into snark. For example, \u201cFueling Trump's chaos: Can't fire who he wants, can't keep who he likes<\/a>,\u201d by CNN\u2019s Kevin Liptak, is largely traditionally journalistic in tone, but then comes this bit:<\/p>\r\n [\u2026] as the tariff episode illustrated, whatever processes exist to unveil policy decision[s] can be easily upended by Trump himself.<\/p>\r\n Trump loyalists say it\u2019s precisely that instinct which drives his successes, inasmuch as a hasty announcement that sinks markets can be viewed as successful.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n And here are some tidbits that I liked from \u201cTrump\u2019s Chaos Theory for the Oval Office Is Taking Its Toll<\/a>,\u201d by the New York Times<\/cite>\u2019s Mark Landler and Maggie Haberman:<\/p>\r\n Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax Media and an old friend of the president\u2019s [said] Mr. Trump relied on a small circle of colleagues and a management style that amounted to \u201ctrial and error \u2014 the strongest survived, the weak died.\u201d<\/p>\r\n [\u2026]<\/p>\r\n Mr. Trump has few fixed views on any issue, but he has been consistent on his antipathy for free trade since the 1980s<\/p>\r\n [\u2026]<\/p>\r\n But a president who has long tried to impose his version of reality on the world is finding the limits of that strategy.<\/p>\r\n [\u2026]<\/p>\r\n Morale in the West Wing has sunk to a new low, these people said.<\/p>\r\n [\u2026]<\/p>\r\n Privately, some aides have expressed frustration that Mr. Kushner and his wife, the president\u2019s daughter Ivanka Trump, have remained at the White House, despite Mr. Trump at times saying they never should have come to the White House and should leave. Yet aides also noted that Mr. Trump has told the couple that they should keep serving in their roles, even as he has privately asked Mr. Kelly for his help in moving them out.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n
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