John Kelly almost beat up Corey Lewandowski outside the Oval Office: report

An argument in February between former Donald Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and White House chief of staff John Kelly turned into a physical altercation that required Secret Service intervention, The New York Timesreported Monday.

The "near brawl" featured Kelly, a former four-star Marine general, grabbing Lewandowski by the collar.

The scuffle was based on interviews with a half-dozen people familiar with the events.

Kelly reportedly "tried to" have Lewandowski ejected from the West Wing.

Lewandowski reportedly "did not get physical in response."

During the 2016 campaign Lewandowski was ousted as campaign manager after being charged with simple battery after grabbing a reporter for the pro-Trump website Breitbart, which at the time was run by Steve Bannon.

Kelly has also been criticized for having a temper.

On Saturday, onetime Trump communications director Anthony Scaramucci wnt on NBC's "Meet the Press" and complained that Kelly "has hissy fits."

"The president, for his part, has shown a certain reverence for men willing to engage in physical scuffles. Last fall, when Mr. Kelly was newly in his role, his willingness to engage angrily in meetings with Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, who at the time was the national security adviser, thrilled Mr. Trump," The Times explained. "The president, who did not like General McMaster, gleefully told people about the skirmishes between the two men for weeks, saying it showed how tough Mr. Kelly was, a person familiar with the discussions said."