White House adviser Kellyanne Conway on Thursday downplayed a wave of firings and departures from the senior levels of the Trump administration.
“If you’re low distraction, high production, you’ll do very well here and you’ll last the longest and strongest, if you’d like to,” she told the hosts of “Fox & Friends.”
The appearance came two days after President Donald Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Chief economic adviser Gary Cohn announced his resignation last week — he’ll be replaced by CNBC’s Larry Kudlow — as did Communications Director Hope Hicks, in late February. Multiple staffers, including Trump’s personal aide John McEntee, have been fired or lost security clearances over background check issues. Multiple outlets reported, citing knowledgeable unnamed officials, that McEntee is under investigation for serious financial crimes.
“This has been a big week for personnel changes,” Fox News’ Steve Doocy told Conway.
“Sure, but the President has that right,” she replied. “And look, other people choose to leave and I respect that as well. This is not for everyone for a long time.”
Conway went on: Trump “appreciates dissenting opinions,” she said, perhaps a reference to Cohn, who is said to have resigned over Trump’s support of sweeping steel and aluminum tariffs.
“But this President ultimately controls the timing, the tone and the content of those policy decisions and those personnel announcements,” she added, before noting: “I’m thrilled Larry Kudlow is coming here. I’ve worked very well with Gary Cohn.”
