Kirstjen Nielsen may be out of the Trump administration, but she's not out of the news. The New York Times is out with a report claiming that in the waning days of her tenure, Nielsen was instructed not to discuss one of her major concerns as homeland security secretary with President Trump. The Times' report is based on interviews with three unnamed senior administration officials and one former such official and describes Nielsen as increasingly concerned about new methods of Russian interference in the run-up to the 2020 election. But in a 2019 meeting, Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney reportedly told her Trump is loathe to discuss the subject because he still feels it sparks distasteful questions about his 2016 win. Mulvaney reportedly said it "wasn’t a great subject and should be kept below his level." The Times' assessment, and much more reaction:
- From the Times: "As a result [of Nielsen abandoning her effort to make the topic an administration priority], the issue did not gain the urgency or widespread attention that a president can command. And it meant that many Americans remain unaware of the latest versions of Russian interference."