Trump removes McMaster as national security adviser
Ex-ambassador, commentator John Bolton tapped for post
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump accepted the resignation of National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster on Thursday and named John Bolton, a former ambassador to the United Nations and conservative foreign policy commentator, to succeed him.
McMaster’s ouster continues a period of particular turmoil in Trump’s national security team, following the ouster last week of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was replaced by CIA Director Mike Pompeo.
But McMaster’s departure appears more amicable than that of Tillerson, who was fired by tweet. Trump and McMaster both released statements thanking each other. Trump described McMaster as an architect of his “America First” foreign policy and said that “his bravery and toughness are legendary.”
The White House said the move was the result of ongoing conversations and not any single problem or disagreement.
A 55-year-old three-star Army general, McMaster will retire from the military after 34 years. Bolton will take over April 9, the White House said.
The 69-year-old lawyer has been a controversial figure in foreign policy establishment: He served as President George W. Bush’s ambassador to the United Nations but was appointed during a congressional recess and never confirmed by the Senate. He previously served in State and Justice Department posts under President Ronald Reagan and both Bushes.
The national security adviser post does not require Senate confirmation.
A former undersecretary of state for arms control, Bolton has been a hawk on Iran and North Korea. But as a Fox News commentator, he’s also been a skeptic on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, raising the possibility that it was a “false flag” operation, whereas the intelligence community has concluded Russia was responsible for the hacking of emails belonging to the Democratic Party and campaign officials for Hillary Clinton.
In an interview on Fox News on Thursday, Bolton declined to address any of his past statements.
“They’re all out there on the public record. I’ve never been shy about what my views are. The important thing is what the president says and what advice I give him.”