The month of August proved to be a major turning point for the Trump administration, for good and bad reasons. The purging of the West Wing's right-wing extremists ended up disarming the President Trump's dangerous agenda, weakening the hostile forces he has used against Congress to further enforce that dangerous agenda. There is no doubt that Americans are thankful that Gen. John Kelly purged the West Wing of some of its worst and most unqualified aides. The removal of that extremist faction also seems to have made an impact on the President who is now more restrained, no longer lashing against his own aides.
Harmless and weaker than before
Over the last week, it was reported that a few of the President's aides had made comments that would have made them targets of his vitriol a month ago. Now, the President seems to have acknowledged that he needs them more than they need him and has let his aides slide with no consequences for their comments.
The President would have certainly taken on more damage had he fired those two aides; Rex Tillerson -- who is the President's secretary of state or Gary Cohn, President Trump's economic adviser. But the threat of getting fired is no longer the consequence the President's aides pay for insubordination.
It's been reported that people aren't rushing through the White House doors to fill in positions left "open" after firings and resignations.
It also doesn't appear that Gen. Kelly and others are looking to hire more people just yet. The administration's efforts to weaken various government agencies by not filling positions and firing people, seems to have gotten the attention of Congress.
Congress had already called out the administration for not hiring more people for available government positions.
When the administration did, they reportedly sent new hires unprepared with incorrect paperwork. In this case, however, where a skeleton crew weakens the White House of its dangerous agenda; it's no doubt a relief.
Hints of depression
One article by Politico titled: "Trump's shrinking West Wing" gave three reasons for why the administration had not yet filled those positions.
One of those reasons being attributed to the President's dark mood throughout the summer. But according to the article, a source said that President Trump doesn't feel that Congress respects or even fears him.
According to that unnamed source, the President's mood is at "the worst it's ever been." It was reported that in an interview with Eric Trump on a conservative radio show last Tuesday, he suggested that if the President had paid attention to any of the criticism against him, it would lead to depression and suicide.
Twitter users reacted to the statement as if to suggest that the President was now under suicide watch. Others even suggested that depression and suicide would be enough for Congress to move towards impeachment.
But Eric Trump was speaking about depression and suicide as a response to criticism in general. Eric said that his dad was constantly being criticized no matter what and that the President had to take that criticism with a grain of salt.