Last week I casually speculated that Trump probably didn't know he could not order the military to the border.
Now, I wouldn't say I was going out on a limb to make that prediction because we all know Trump doesn't know shit about shit, but it looks like I was right.
Axios reports that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has become Trump's new favorite punching bag because she has been forced to give him the bad news.
[She's] taken on an unforgiving role: having to shoot down the president’s frequently unvetted immigration enforcement ideas (including a recent suggestion to send active duty military — not simply National Guard — to the border.) A senior administration source said some of Trump’s unvetted ideas are coming from people outside the White House, including Fox News personalities. The source added that Nielsen fully supports the president on the wall and on closing loopholes, but often had to be “Ms. No.” Trump was being fed legally unvetted ideas that would look flashy on TV but are of dubious operational value.
Nielsen agrees with Trump on virtually every issue, but that doesn't necessarily matter. Loyalty to Trump is almost never reciprocated. You could compromise your entire career and everything you've ever believed in for Trump and he will eventually spit it back in your face.
I don't expect Nielsen will still be the secretary of DHS at the end of the year. I wish I could say that's good news, but she could always be replaced by someone even worse.