‘TRUMP PLANNING TO REMOVE HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR MCMASTER’
WASHINGTON :US President Donald Trump wants to fire his national security adviser HR McMaster, according to a news report.
The Washington Post, citing unnamed officials, reported that Trump had recently told his chief of staff John Kelly he wants to replace the NSA. The Post said he finds McMaster too rigid and complained that his briefings go on for too long.
Former US ambassador to the UN John Bolton and National Security Council chief of staff Keith Kellogg are among those being considered to succeed McMaster.
Trump picked McMaster to replace Michael Flynn, his first NSA, who was fired for lying about his Russian contacts .
On Thursday, the White House pushed back on the report. “Just spoke to @POTUS and Gen. H.R. McMaster - contrary to reports they have a good working relationship and there are no changes at the NSC,” press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted.
McMaster’s exit, when and if it happens, will come amid a wider shake-up of the administration that Trump had hinted after firing Rex Tillerson as secretary of staff. “There will always be change,” he had told reporters. “And I think you want to see change. I want to also see different ideas.”
There is speculation that Kelly too may depart the administration, despite denials from Trump and the White House. Veteran affairs secretary David Shulkin, housing secretary Ben Carson, environment protection agency administrator Scott Pruitt and interior secretary Ryan Zinke are others who could be on Trump’s exit list.