![Washington Monument behind a fence in D.C. / [Image by M01229 via Flickr, CC By 2.0]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/8/7/660x290/b_502x220x82/washington-monument-behind-a-fence-in-dc-image-by-m01229-via-flickr-cc-by-20_1505763.jpg "Washington Monument behind a fence in D.C. / [Image by M01229 via Flickr, CC By 2.0]")
Before renovations began at the White House, other changes to staff hinted at the Trump administration potentially going in a different direction, perhaps away from the nationalist extreme right-wing fringe mindset that dominated it. That mindset vowed to purge Washington of "Deep State" officials who now appear to be winning influence in the White House since the addition of Gen. John Kelly.
Nationalism was also in the spotlight over the weekend with violence breaking out among protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia. White nationalists and Nazis clashed with anti-fascist protesters which resulted in vehicular homicide by one of the nationalists.
Consensus has turned towards Trump's administration to reject white nationalism but has angered many for being vague and responding hours later after the incident.
Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster who is a national security adviser was on the Sunday morning news round up shows saying that the attack which injured 19 and killed one was "terrorism". When he was pressed about removing the fringe nationalist element in the White House, he remained diplomatic. It is unavoidable, however, that there is definite momentum to make changes at the White House.
John Kelly turns focus on White House nationalists
During the last week of July, Gen. John Kelly took over as the President's new Chief of Staff replacing Reince Priebus who in hindsight, allowed the extremism to take hold.
Kelly moved quick to rid the administration of some hostile forces and empowered national security adviser Lt. Gen. Hr. McMaster to fire some of those that were created by White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon. According to one report by Politico titled: "Kelly considers further shuffling of West Wing staff, officials say" he has been reviewing Bannon's position in the White House as the nucleus of a hostile administration.
While many felt that John Kelly would finally bring order to the White House, they also felt that he could have problems trying to control the extremist element that exists in the administration and that the President enables. Sarah Posner of the Washington Post opined in a piece titled: "John Kelly is doomed to fail. The reason why isn’t what you think," that the extremist element will continue to thrive thanks to support of right-wing media outlets like Breitbart which Steve Bannon used to run before joining the Trump campaign.
In recent weeks the Daily Beast reported on the battle between McMaster and Bannon in an article titled: "White House ‘Enemies List’ Drove McMaster-Bannon Feud." Since McMaster fired many of Bannon loyalists, Bannon had been leaking out information to outlets that are supportive of his extremist cause calling for Trump to fire the McMaster. Originally, McMaster was able to fire three of the Chief Strategist's loyalists because of leaks or inappropriately sharing their extremist views.
Washington gets 'real' with Trump
While it's seen that loyalty goes in the direction of the President, it's clearly up to President Trump what kind of mindset works best for him in order to push his agenda. This is especially true since he has not been able to get support for the bulk of his agenda from Congress as he expected.
Right before the August recess, Republicans in Congress appeared to largely concede defeat over health care reform as well as their budget proposal which already left out a lot of the President's agenda. Although, there are Republicans in Congress who are hoping to enforce that agenda when they return in September.
And even though President Trump tweeted that he isn't on vacation and is working hard, there's every indication at this point "working hard" is hardly working if it's in the same style he's been working since he entered the Oval Office. Last weekend, White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway admitted that Trump's support was slipping and therefore suggested that the President work on the issues that his supporters elected him for.
But, there likely won't be a need if he's able to get better direction from more capable and qualified aides, rejecting Bannon's principles and advancing a different and less hostile agenda with help from the "deep state".
