Boltin’ from Bolton
Many may flee as Don security big enters
THE THIRD PERSON to be named national security adviser to President Trump is preparing a West Wing shakeup that could send dozens of officials heading for the exits.
Noted foreign policy hawk John Bolton is preparing to wage his first war in the White House, as he eyes the removal of Obamaera holdovers and officials believed to be disloyal to Trump, according to a report by Foreign Policy.
Bolton is slated to replace Gen. H.R. McMaster next month, the latest in a line of high-level substitutions that have come to epitomize the Trump administration.
“Bolton can and will clean house,” one former White House official told Foreign Policy. Said another source: “He is going to remove almost all the political (appointees) McMaster brought in.”
On Thursday evening, just hours after Trump tapped him for the job, Bolton was said to hold a call with longtime advisers including Matthew Freedman, a Republican consultant who previously aided Bolton at the State Department and the United Nations, Foreign Policy reported.
Freedman is assisting in the transition, a source familiar with the call told the website.
“Freedman is a very political guy that Bolton likes,” a Republican source said. “He is overly ambitious about cleaning house.”
Freedman disputed that account, saying he was not aware of the Thursday phone call. “I can tell you there is no list,” he said.
Bolton alluded to the President’s distaste for leaks, telling Fox Business that he’ll have no tolerance for those who disseminate information through unofficial channels.
He said leaks “interfere with the President’s ability to come to conclusions after discussing all the options in private.”
Quick staff changes would be similar to those made when McMaster replaced disgraced Michael Flynn only weeks into Trump’s tenure, and quickly dismissed several Flynn appointees.
The administration has already seen an historic number of dismissals and departures in recent weeks as Trump seeks to replace Secretary of State Tillerson with CIA head Mike Pompeo and a number of White House staffers, including communications director Hope Hicks, have jumped ship.
“Who’s next?” Trump joked a week ago as Tillerson left, his top economic adviser Gary Cohn stepped down and other departures appeared imminent.
Bolton, a Yale Law School graduate, served as President George W. Bush’s UN ambassador as a “recess appointment” whose tenure was curtailed by broad Senate opposition to his confirmation.
His new position does not require approval from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Bolton’s history as a hardline hawk has some in the White House worried about his influence on a President who has been more reserved regarding interventionist policies.
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, who has worked to restrict access to Trump, has expressed concerns to confidants about Bolton gaining unfettered access to the President, The Associated Press reported, citing a person who was familiar with Kelly’s thinking.