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John Kelly Reportedly Added 'Policy Time' to Donald Trump's Daily Schedule for Exactly the Reason You Think
That should do it.
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly has reportedly instituted a schedule block for President Donald Trump, complementing the "executive time" the Commander-in-Chief already enjoys on a daily basis.
Politico's Annie Karni tweeted on Tuesday that "policy time" will now be given to the president so he can reflect on the immediate issues facing the administration.
A new thing on Trump’s private schedule that I haven’t seen before: in addition to some “executive time” today, he… https://t.co/7VMfvLGrEO— Annie Karni (@Annie Karni) 1542118103.0
The Washington Post reported in April that Trump's policy time was the brainchild of Kelly. In it, the president holds "sessions once or twice a day where advisers present and argue their competing views over a specific issue, with Trump presiding."
WaPo noted Kelly "has also implemented bimonthly Cabinet meetings, with a focused agenda, as well as restored order to the morning senior staff meeting," and that "attendance for most Oval Office meetings is still run through Kelly’s office."
Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post added in a tweet on Tuesday that policy time "was installed earlier this year to help him focus on issues. A Kelly creation. It sometimes goes better than others."
It was installed earlier this year to help him focus on issues. A Kelly creation. It sometimes goes better than oth… https://t.co/tDPb38QenY— Josh Dawsey (@Josh Dawsey) 1542118201.0
What will Trump actually be doing?
@anniekarni Executive time = twitter hours in bed Policy Time = twitter hours on the potty— MikeB (@MikeB) 1542119226.0
@realDonaldTrump enough already @realDonaldTrump btw, is this your Executive Time or Policy Time stuff?… https://t.co/QxF0PRAKtv— CountryTisOfThee🇺🇸 (@CountryTisOfThee🇺🇸) 1542130926.0
@jdawsey1 That's where they try to drill him the difference between Baltics and Balkans— Kathleen Taylor (@Kathleen Taylor) 1542118286.0
@jdawsey1 Bouncy room followed by 5 Big Macs, then nappy, nappy.— Rodney(Mr.Happy)Ball (@Rodney(Mr.Happy)Ball) 1542132477.0
@anniekarni Executive time = twitter hours in bed Policy Time = twitter hours on the potty— MikeB (@MikeB) 1542119226.0
Currently, Trump uses "executive time" to watch Fox News and conduct personal business.
Trump has been granted two chunks of policy time on top of his executive time, which typically runs into the late morning and allows him to call Sean Hannity.
What's next?
@jdawsey1 When will they make him a clean-your-room star chart?— IFONLYIFTHEN (@IFONLYIFTHEN) 1542118352.0
Some Twitter users poked fun at policy time because the headline is indistinguishable from something coming out of The Onion.
John Kelly: Policy Time, Mr. President! Trump: (visibly pouts) Kelly: Now, now. What comes after Policy Time? Trump… https://t.co/djp4OTMgV9— Visionary Director Scott Wampler™ (@Visionary Director Scott Wampler™) 1542129582.0
@jdawsey1 When my kids were babies, we called it, “nap time”.— Jo (@Jo) 1542118341.0
Others feel policy time may provide Trump with some solitude to contemplate the Russia investigation and the next round of indictments Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to drop in the coming days.
@Santucci @ABC Is this what the blocks for policy time were about today?— Betsy Blaney 🎾 (@Betsy Blaney 🎾) 1542138279.0
Others feel like the 72-year-old Trump is being treated like a baby - or a senior citizen that can't take care of themselves.
@anniekarni @maggieNYT The fact that his schedule is described as the ones in a toddler daycare never ceases to ama… https://t.co/WqmGlXCPnd— Nadia Victoria (@Nadia Victoria) 1542118418.0
@anniekarni His schedule is getting closer and closer to that of the local Senior Center. “The White House Senior… https://t.co/tjf6CcJOWH— Charles (@Charles) 1542118436.0
Last month, Politico reported that the president now has up to nine hours of executive time per day.
“The president’s time is, in many ways, his most valuable commodity because it’s finite,” said Mack McLarty, President Bill Clinton’s first chief of staff. “It reflects his priorities. It reflects what he’s trying to get done with the country.”
But even though other presidents have enjoyed free time to tackle issues on their own, the excessive hours Trump spends alone translates into a presidency based on his mood in the moment, rather than long-term policy plans.
“He might read something in the paper and immediately you’d get an impromptu meeting on trade,” said a person familiar with the president’s scheduling. “It’s just more impromptu than like a month in advance you have a policy time set that you’re going to work up to.”