But these gestures in the direction of reform were few and far between. So far from bringing sanity and order to this administration Kelly has himself become a kind of Trumpian figure. Many journalists expected him to resign months ago when it was reported that he knew of various accusations of domestic violence made against one of his underlings and chose to do nothing about them. He also managed to survive his bizarre argument with Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), for which he claimed he would “never” apologize.

How many people realize, I wonder, that it is Kelly perhaps more so than anyone else who is responsible for the Trump administration’s decision to separate mothers and children at the Mexican border? This policy, which earned the disapprobation of everyone from Michelle Obama to Franklin Graham, was one of the many products of Kelly’s febrile imagination while he was serving as the secretary of homeland security. Many other things will be brought forward to explain why he is finally being pushed out, but I think the fallout from what is so far the worst week of Trump’s presidency convinced the man in the Oval Office long ago that Kelly did not have “spirit.” If he had, it would have worked, right?