[Bolduan:] That's the message from President Trump pushing back against reports that his Chief of Staff John Kelly called him unhinged after a meeting on Syria. According to NBC, called him an idiot after a meeting on immigration. Donald Trump isn't the only one pushing back. John Kelly is as well. Answering reports of his name calling with more name calling, calling it total b.s. CNN's Kaitlan Collins is at the White Bouse, she's no b.s. Kaitlan, what is happening there today?
[Kaitlan Collins, Cnn White House Reporter:] Well, Kate, John Kelly coming out quickly and publicly to deny this report, shortly after it was published. He issued a statement, we don't often hear from John Kelly directly like this, but he did call this b.s. He said that he spends more time with the president than anyone else and he said he always knows where I stand and he and I both know this story is total b.s. John Kelly said he's committed to the president and his agenda and the country and he said this is another pathetic attempt to smear the president. But he's not just denying it publicly, Kate. We're also told he did so in a face to face meeting with President Trump in the oval office yesterday, saying that this report isn't true and though, CNN hasn't independently confirmed the idiot remark, we have reported that John Kelly has referred to the president as unhinged. We know that the two of them, their relationship is not what it once was, it is quite deteriorated because of several reasons and that John Kelly is not involved in as many decisions as he was when he was first brought into this west wing. But there is a difference here in this report, we reported the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson referred to the president as a moron, that was something Tillerson never denied. He never spoke to the president about explicitly to deny it, so certainly a difference here. But, Kate, we both know this president is not someone who likes to be undermined, he doesn't like someone to question his intelligence. And hasn't publicly said anything specifically about John Kelly, no votes of confidence there yet.
[Bolduan:] Didn't he challenge Tillerson to an IQ test?
[Collins:] Yes, he did.
[Bolduan:] Three and a half years ago. Anyway, thanks, Kaitlan. Great to see you. Let's see what happens next. Let's bring in CNN Politics reporter and editor-at-large, Chris Cilizza, and CNN political analyst and "Washington Post" White House reporter, Josh Dawsey. Great to see you, guys. Chris, this is on this episode, this has been a pretty forceful denial from both Donald Trump and John Kelly. What do you make of it?
[Chris Cilizza, Cnn Politics Reporter And Editor-at-large:] Well, so, I think, Kate, it is possible that maybe the word idiot wasn't used, but I don't think there is any dispute that John Kelly and Donald Trump are not what they once were. Obviously, John Kelly was touted by Donald Trump as bringing discipline, military man, better than what he viewed as an ineffectual Reince Priebus' chief of staff. But I just think it is more evidence that Donald Trump is tough on the furniture, to use that idea, which is it is just hard to work for him. He doesn't really listen, he mostly does what he wants, he scape goats people, he says things that get out in front, you have to try to make policy around it. It is just a very tough job. So, just Donald Trump is unhappy with John Kelly. My strong sense is that John Kelly is unhappy with Donald Trump and his style of management and leadership. I just don't whether you call him an idiot specifically or not, I don't see this lasting that much longer, that partnership.
[Bolduan:] You think Kelly is on his way out? You've been saying that for months?
[Cilizza:] That is true. And John Kelly, by the way, has we have got reporting repeatedly, well, John Kelly threatened to resign or said he would resign and he didn't. Keep that I just think at some point here Donald Trump wears hard on people. I think, you know, six months is like six years with him. And I think that kind of timeline means that John Kelly is probably headed for the exits in the not too distant future.
[Bolduan:] Josh, you spoke with Kelly's deputy about all of this. What does he say about the fact that people around the president are going to the press with stuff like this.
[Josh Dawsey, Cnn Political Analyst:] Well, I think inside the White House there say clear realization that John Kelly does not have the support of his staff that he once had, one that he put around the Rob Porter episode when different people thought John Kelly gave conflicting stories about how he handled it. His staff is not disputing that people are telling the press this, just saying he didn't say it. Rarely speaks on the record to any reporter and yesterday did a whole round of interviews. Also seemed according to my sources in the White House a realization that they don't really trust the press shop and others to defend Kelly as much. So, [inaudible] his own personal aide to do it. The central argument was John Kelly is a Marine. He is someone who respects the president. Of course, there are moments of frustration, whether the two of them clash and screaming matches in the oval office. But he respects the president and carries out the orders of the president and did not call him an idiot. We also have not confirmed he used the word idiot. We know he frequently gets frustrated with the president and spoken in divisive terms about him at times.
[Bolduan:] We have heard him talk like that, even in interviews.
[Dawsey:] Yes, I think Josh's point is really important, which is no one is really disputing the fact that they have a contentious relationship. Now Kelly is saying we have an open and frank relationship and, sure, that sometimes means that we're going to clash, but that's good. And the negative side of that is they have a contentious relationship and it is not creativity and positive things do not come from it. It is mostly negative. But I don't think anyone is disputing that, that Donald Trump and John Kelly, first of all, are radically different people. I mean, their backgrounds couldn't be more different. The idea that they would get along perfectly makes very little sense based on what we know of human nature. No one is disputing that they clash. The issue is, is it clashing that is cut right? Is it clashing that gets in the way of John Kelly doing his job effectively or is it something that just, you know, is part of the daily day of dealing with Donald Trump.
[Bolduan:] Josh, what about the what does this all do to the reporting that we see in the "Wall Street Journal" that Kelly is being considered to be the next secretary of Veterans Affairs? What does this do to that?
[Dawsey:] White House officials have pushed back hard on that possibility and are saying that he's not up to be a finalist for that job. The president as we reported, others have repeatedly musings about people, what about this person for that or this person for that. It is hard to know how serious he is. Our reporting indicates that that is not a very likely possibility, but it could happen at 5:00 p.m. today too and, you know, that would be what it was. So really hard to know sometimes with these personnel decisions. The president as we have seen time and time again, different things and leaves everyone guessing.
[Bolduan:] I do wonder what Rex Tillerson is thinking today. The other official who may or may not have said something about Donald Trump behind closed doors, but never denied it when asked directly about it multiple times. Guys, great to see you. I would never call you a moron. Coming up next, the president, the porn star, and the new lawsuit. Stormy Daniels slaps the president with a defamation suit, a stunt or a real case?