Retired General John Kelly testifies before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing on Kelly’s nomination to be secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts Not long after taking over as President Donald Trump's new chief of staff, retired general John Kelly told hundreds of White House staffers to put the country first and the president second.

"Country, President, Self," Kelly told White House staffers gathered for a pep talk at the entryway to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, according to a profile on the general by Time Magazine.

The phrasing comes from the well-known "God, Country, Corps" saying used by US marines.

Kelly went on to tell his team of Trump staffers to put aside egos and personal squabbles and stop leaking information from the White House, Time reports.

While Kelly takes over as Trump's chief of staff at a time of staff turnover, some expect him to bring order to the White House. As a start, he told leaders of White House factions to report to him — rather than Trump — with news.

Read the rest of the John Kelly profile here.