Huckabee Defends Kelly Move to WH Chief: 'Disciplined,' 'Focused'

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee on Monday praised the appointment of Gen. John Kelly to President Donald Trump's chief of staff.

"He's a patriot. He's disciplined. He's focused. He has put service and duty above himself and has made great sacrifices for this country, even putting his own life in harm's way. He understands what mission means," Huckabee said Monday on Fox News' "Fox & Friends" morning program.

"He understands what it means to organize people and to be responsible for the lives of men and women and to know that if he doesn't lead well, somebody actually dies," Huckabee said.

.@GovMikeHuckabee fires back at critics who say General John Kelly shouldn't be White House Chief of Staff pic.twitter.com/SqhEcOTi0T

— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) July 31, 2017

The former governor's comments on Kelly were in response to Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., who, on Friday, tweeted that Kelly was "militarizing the White House."

By putting Gen John Kelly in charge, Pres Trump is militarizing the White House & putting our executive branch in the hands of an extremist.

— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) July 28, 2017

"As Homeland Security director, Gen. Kelly was involved in actually enforcing the law that she and other members of Congress put in place," Huckabee added.

Lee's comments are "disrespectful to every single person in uniform," the former governor said.

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