MELANIA ASSERTS AUTHORITY IN PUBLIC CALL FOR SACKING OF WHITE HOUSE AIDE
▶ Her office said deputy national security adviser ‘does not deserve position’
Melania Trump on Tuesday publicly called for the deputy national security adviser to be dismissed.
After reports circulated that President Donald Trump had decided to remove Mira Ricardel from her post at the National Security Council, Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s spokeswoman, released a statement.
“It is the position of the office of the first lady that she no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House.” Ms Grisham said.
Earlier, Ms Ricardel was among a group of administration officials and other people who stood behind President Trump at a White House ceremony celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the first lady’s staff and Ms Ricardel had clashed during Mrs Trump’s visit to Africa last month over things such as seating on the plane and requests to use the council’s resources.
A White House official said that Ms Ricardel wanted to travel to Africa with the first lady but was denied a place on the plane because there was no room for her or several others who expected to make the trip. The official said Ms Ricardel then threatened not to send any NSC staff.
She has also clashed with Defence Secretary Jim Mattis over Pentagon political appointment choices since early in his tenure.
Pentagon officials have said they believe Ms Ricardel had a hand in spreading rumours this year about Mr Mattis falling out of favour with the White House and perhaps departing.
Mr Mattis would not discuss the statement. “I don’t comment on other people’s staffing issues.”
A spokesman for the National Security Council had no immediate comment.
Mrs Trump is very protective of her husband and is considered to be an influential adviser, as many first ladies have been.
She is also one of the most private first ladies in recent memory, which made the public announcement about her displeasure with a top West Wing official all the more surprising.
In an interview with ABC News during the five-day trip to Ghana, Mali, Kenya and Egypt last month, Mrs Trump said there were people in the White House who she and the president could not trust.
She declined to name anyone but said she had let the president know who the people are.
“Well, some people don’t work there any more,” she said.
Asked if some untrustworthy people still worked in the White House, Mrs Trump replied: “Yes.”
Anita McBride, who was chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush, said there was a lesson in the current first lady’s public pronouncement.
“The president supports Mrs Trump’s activities and her work, which should be the signal to the rest of the staff to support her too.”