Trump tweets support of Kelly amid reports of frustration with officials

President Trump defended White House chief of staff John Kelly on Friday in light of a report saying he was growing irritated with some officials. 

“General John Kelly is doing a great job as Chief of Staff. I could not be happier or more impressed — and this Administration continues to get things done at a record clip. Many big decisions to be made over the coming days and weeks. AMERICA FIRST!” the president said in a tweet.  

General John Kelly is doing a great job as Chief of Staff. I could not be happier or more impressed – and this Administration continues to..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2017

…get things done at a record clip. Many big decisions to be made over the coming days and weeks. AMERICA FIRST!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2017

The president’s defense of Kelly comes after The Washington Post on Thursday reported Trump was growing peeved with Kelly’s strict regulation of the Oval Office. 

“He doesn’t like how Kelly’s handling him. He’s turning on people that are very close to him,” a friend of Trump’s told the Post. 

The Post also reported that Trump loyalists refer to Kelly as “the church lady” because they think he is too strict and that the president has reached out to people outside of the White House, including his former chief strategist Stephen Bannon. 

Bannon’s resignation was one of a number of White House departures that have occurred under Kelly, including former communications director Anthony Scaramucci and former aide Sebastian Gorka.