“Don’t try to change Donald Trump.” That’s the number one piece of advice the former chief of staff to former mayor Rob Ford can offer General John Kelly, the U.S. president’s new Chief of Staff.

“He doesn’t fit the mold and that’s what his supporters love about him. Build a presidency around him that plays to his strengths,” wrote Towhey in an Aug. 23 BuzzFeed article.

Towhey, author of Mayor Rob Ford: Uncontrollable, made parallels between the Canadian mayor and American president, calling them both “unconventional,” “black horse” candidates who were “eccentric and unpredictable.”

There are similarities, wrote Towhey, in the ways both are equally loved and hated, and how both function as a regular punch line for comedians, and a common enemy for democratic institutions.

In the Buzzfeed article, Towhey outlines 13 “entirely unsolicited observations” to serve as a guide for Kelly. These include how Kelly should keep his focus on the administration’s objectives (“help your boss do the same”), break the siege (“In their minds, the world outside the gates hates them, misunderstands them, and is actively conspiring to destroy them”), protect his staff (“[Your boss] may not know how to lead and care for them.”) and to “give Trump answers, not options.”

“Your boss is a disrupter, but you’ll have to work within the establishment to change the establishment,” wrote Towhey, adding that Kelly should plan his exit, keep his resume updated, and make sure to not break the law.

Towhey was fired from his position as a top mayoral aide by Ford, a week after the former mayor’s crack cocaine scandal broke in May 2013. Towhey had advised Ford to get help for his alcoholism and drug addiction. Ford died in March 2016.

Towhey could not be reached for comment.

Read more:

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