The Trump White House may be primed for one of its biggest departures yet. According to a new report from NBC News National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster — who replaced disgraced and since-convicted advisor Michael Flynn — could resign as early as next month.
Apparently, Chief of Staff John Kelly and Defense Secretary James Mattis are behind the push to remove McMaster. Officials told NBC that Stephen Biegun, an executive for the Ford Motor Company, is being floated as a possible replacement for McMaster.
Biegun previously served in the Bush White House from 2001 to 2003 on the National Security Council. In other words, the Trump team is floating the idea of bringing back an insider from one of the most disastrous presidencies in American history. Such a decision, during a time when saber-rattling between the United States and a nuclear-armed North Korea could prove disastrous.
If the report on McMaster’s looming departure bears out, and President Trump does indeed lose his second National Security Advisor in a little over a year, it will create another public relations nightmare for an administration that has been fending off criticism over the fact that it seems chronically incapable of maintaining its staff.
Just yesterday White House Communications Director Hope Hicks announced her resignation. She has been one of Trump’s longest-serving (and presumably longest suffering) aide and the announcement came as a surprise to many.. The rats are fleeing the sinking ship at an increasing rate.
The president recently reprimanded McMaster publicly via Twitter after McMaster stated that the Russian Federation meddled in the 2016 election. The president has repeatedly pushed back against claims that the results were affected by Putin’s efforts because Trump fears that confirming the reality of interference could delegitimize his electoral victory.
General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians and that the only Collusion was between Russia and Crooked H, the DNC and the Dems. Remember the Dirty Dossier, Uranium, Speeches, Emails and the Podesta Company!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2018
Now, the White House has officially responded to the story, reports Politico. In what appears to be kneejerk damage control mode, the administration tried to stamp out the rumors.
“We frequently face rumor and innuendo about senior administration officials. There are no personnel announcements at this time,” said Raj Shah, the Principal Deputy Press Secretary.
The Trump White House is one of the most mendacious ever foisted upon the American people. It’s unwise to believe a single word that comes from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue these days. Only the coming weeks will show if McMaster is indeed leaving.