John F. Kelly

**John Francis Kelly** (born May 11, 1950) is a retired United States Marine Corps General. He was the 28th White House Chief of Staff from July 31, 2017 to January 2, 2019. Kelly was the 5th United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving from January through July 2017.

He is the former Commander of United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM). Kelly last served as the commanding general of the Multi-National Force—West in Iraq from February 2008 to February 2009, and as the commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North in October 2009.

## Early life

Kelly was born on May 11, 1950 in Boston, Massachusetts, into an Irish Catholic family.

He served for one year as a United States Merchant Marine. Kelly initially enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1970, and was discharged from active duty as a sergeant in 1972.

Kelly received a Master of Science degree in National Security Studies from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service in 1984. He also studied at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

## United States Secretary of Homeland Security (2017)

On December 7, 2016, it was reported that then-President-elect Donald Trump nominated Kelly to be the fifth United States Secretary of Homeland Security.

On January 20, 2017, Kelly was confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security by the United States Senate with a vote of 88-11. On that evening he was sworn in by Vice-President Pence.

## White House Chief of Staff (2017–2019)

On July 28 2017, he was appointed to replace Reince Priebus as White House Chief of Staff.

Early into his tenure, media outlets such as _The New York Times_, _The Washington Post_ and FiveThirtyEight speculated that Kelly would bring moderation and discipline to the White House. In August 2017, early into Kelly's tenure, the _Washington Post_ wrote that Kelly had "left no discernible imprint on the White House's philosophy" and that it was unclear if he would bring calm and rigor to the White House.

On December 8, 2018, Trump announced that Kelly would be leaving the position by the end of the year. He left the office on January 2, 2019.

## Personal life

Kelly is married to Karen Hernest. They have three children.

In 2010, Kelly’s 29-year-old son, First Lieutenant Robert Kelly, was killed in action when he stepped on a landmine while leading a platoon of Marines on a patrol in Sangin, Afghanistan. Robert Kelly's death made John Kelly the highest-ranking military officer to lose a son or daughter in Iraq or Afghanistan.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: John Kelly
- **image**: John Kelly official DHS portrait.jpg
- **office**: List of White House Chiefs of Staff, 28th White House Chief of Staff
- **president**: Donald Trump
- **term start**: July 31, 2017
- **term end**: January 2, 2019
- **deputy**: Joe Hagin
Rick Dearborn
- **predecessor**: Reince Priebus
- **successor**: Mick Mulvaney
- **office1**: 5th United States Secretary of Homeland Security
- **president1**: Donald Trump
- **deputy1**: Elaine Duke
- **term start1**: January 20, 2017
- **term end1**: July 31, 2017
- **predecessor1**: Jeh Johnson
- **successor1**: Kirstjen Nielsen
- **office2**: Commander of United States Southern Command
- **president2**: Barack Obama
- **term start2**: November 19, 2012
- **term end2**: January 16, 2016
- **predecessor2**: Douglas M. Fraser, Douglas Fraser
- **successor2**: Kurt W. Tidd, Kurt Tidd
- **birth name**: John Francis Kelly
- **birth place**: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
- **party**: Independent politician, Independent
- **spouse**: Karen Hernest
- **children**: 3
- **education**: University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Georgetown University
National Defense University
- **net worth**: $4 million
- **serviceyears**: 1970–1972
1972–1976
1976–2016
- **rank**:  General (United States), General
- **commands**: United States Southern Command
1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
Multi-National Force West, Multinational Force West
- **battles**: Gulf War, Persian Gulf War
Operation Desert Storm
Iraq War
- **mawards**: Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2) with "V" Device, Valor