Washington, March 16 (IANS): US President Donald Trump has decided to remove H.R. McMaster as his National Security Adviser and was actively discussing potential replacements, The Washington Post reported.
The turbulence is part of a broader potential shake-up under consideration by Trump that is likely to include senior officials at the White House, informed sources told The Post late Thursday.
“The President is enjoying the process of assessing his team and making changes, tightening his inner circle to those he considers survivors and who respect his unconventional style,” a senior White House official said.
Several candidates have emerged as possible McMaster replacements, including John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the UN and Keith Kellogg, the chief of staff of the National Security Council.
However, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pushed back late Thursday on Twitter: “Just spoke @POTUS and Gen H.R. McMaster. Contrary to reports they have a good working relationship and there are no changes at the NSC.”
The news of McMaster’s suspected removal comes after Trump on Tuesday sacked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, ending his short but tumultuous tenure as the nations chief diplomat.
CIA Director Mike Pompeo will take over the top position.
Trump took to Twitter to share the development, saying: “Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service!”
On Wednesday, Trump named conservative TV analyst Larry Kudlow to replace his top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, who quit over trade disagreements, The Washington Post reported.
And on earlier Thursday, Trump signaled that more personnel moves were likely.
“There will always be change,” the President told reporters. “And I think you want to see change. I want to also see different ideas.”
According to the sources, others considered at risk for being fired or reprimanded include Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, who has generated bad headlines for ordering a $31,000 dining room set for his office; Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, who has been under fire for his first-class travel at taxpayer expense; and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, whose agency spent $139,000 to renovate his office doors.
