Very soon after it was announced today that Reince Priebus was out as White House chief of staff, a report began circulating that appeared to prove the ineptitude and incompetence of the Trump administration. Until one tweet from a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security shot it down.
Shane Harris of the Wall Street Journal tweeted from his social media account on Twitter.
A DHS spokesman tells me the department has received "no guidance" on who is now the acting secretary of homeland security.— Shane Harris (@Shane Harris) 1501279130.0
"A DHS spokesman tells me the department has received "no guidance" on who is now the acting secretary of homeland security," he said.
The vacancy at the Department of Homeland Security will come from retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, who had been the secretary at the department, but will become the White House chief of staff, replacing Reince Priebus.
But before the story could grab hold, David Lapan, presumably a different Department of Homeland Security spokesman, corrected Harris from his own Twitter account.
"Untrue that DHS received no guidance on acting secretary," he said. "[Secretary Kelly] remains Secretary - [Deputy Secretary] Duke becomes acting [secretary] on Mon."
Untrue that DHS received no guidance on acting secretary. #SecretaryKelly remains Secretary - DepSec Duke becomes acting sec'y on Mon.
— David Lapan (@SpoxDHS) July 28, 2017
Later the Department of Homeland Security posted a statement clarifying that there was a clear line of succession for the position.
Deputy Secretary Elaine Duke to become acting Secretary Monday July 31. #SecretaryKelly remains Secretary of DHS u… https://t.co/elyebhBBnm— DHS spokesperson (@DHS spokesperson) 1501283146.0
Harris also posted the statement.
UPDATE: Kelly will remain DHS secretary until July 31, when dep sec Elaine Duke will become acting secretary. https://t.co/geeirMfvx6— Shane Harris (@Shane Harris) 1501283009.0
The original tweet saying there is no guidance has more than 3,200 retweets, the statement from Homeland Security has only 151 retweets.