John Kelly’s impossible job at the White House

ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI’S tenure as White House communications director lasted just ten days—shorter than anyone other than the German-born John Koehler, whose admission that he took part in a Hitler Youth programme he described as “the Boy Scouts run by the Nazi Party” triggered his resignation about a week after Ronald Reagan had appointed him. Mr Scaramucci was also the last of three White House aides to leave in ten tumultuous days. Sean Spicer resigned as press secretary rather than report to Mr Scaramucci who, unlike Mr Spicer, had no previous experience in political communication. A week later President Donald Trump replaced Reince Priebus, the chief of staff, with John Kelly, a retired Marine general who had been serving as homeland security secretary.