Jeh Johnson: WH Generals Should Stay Put, 'Right the Ship'

Trump administration advisers — especially generals John Kelly, James Mattis and H.R. McMaster — should stay put and "right the ship" in the wake of White House staff changes, ex-Obama administration official Jeh Johnson said Sunday.

In an interview on ABC News' "This Week," the former Homeland Security secretary said he hoped there'd be no more chaotic departures in the wake of chief strategist Stephen Bannon's exit.

"There's been a lot of talk about people resigning from the White House, should they be resigning from the White House," Johnson said. "If [White House chief of staff] John Kelly, my friend, John Kelly, or my friend [Defense Secretary] Jim Mattis came to me and said, 'I'm thinking about resigning from this White House I would say, 'Absolutely not. You have to stay.'

"As John reportedly said, 'it's country first.' We need people like John Kelly, Jim Mattis, [national security adviser Gen.] H.R. McMaster to right the ship."

He also defended former President Barack Obama from charges that he didn't do enough to combat racism during his tenure.

"Throughout his entire public career, Barack Obama has talked about bringing people together," Johnson said. "I know he dedicated much of his presidency to doing that. He talked to all American people, particularly in times like this. So I think that is a very unfair suggestion. His entire career was devoted to bringing people together. "

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