TEHRAN, March 16 - US President Donald Trump is not about to oust his national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, according to White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, even as speculation intensified that McMaster’s departure had already been decided.
TEHRAN,Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Sanders tweeted on McMaster’s status late Thursday night following a Washington Post report that Trump had decided to replace the Army lieutenant general, who has led the National Security Council for more than a year. The Wall Street Journal later reported that Trump wants to remove McMaster and has conveyed his wishes to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
“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,” she said in a Twitter post.
The Sanders tweet provided some reprieve for McMaster from speculation that he would be the next top official to leave the administration amid turbulence that has depleted Trump’s inner circle. That reprieve may only be temporary, some people familiar with the situation said, as it appears that Trump’s displeasure with McMaster has reached a critical level. The people were granted anonymity to discuss internal White House deliberations.
Trump in recent weeks has seemed more determined to follow his own instincts and less inclined to heed the counterarguments of senior officials. Trump on Thursday said that there would “always be change, but very little” as he denied reports of a widespread staff overhaul. He added, however, that he wanted to “see different ideas” in his administration.
Although praised for the calm command and deep experience he brought to the National Security Council, McMaster has had run-ins with the president. Last month, Trump rebuked him on Twitter for neglecting to defend the president’s 2016 victory while discussing US claims that Russia had interfered in the election.
McMaster has at times been at odds with Kelly, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis; and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and that has contributed to the tenuous level of support he has at the White House.
Source: Gulfnews
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