Confirming the "purge rumblings" reported earlier, moments ago the Washington Post reported that President Trump has decided to fire H.R. McMaster as his national security adviser, delivering the latest jolt to the senior ranks of his administration.
This latest termination from Trump"s administration makes it 25 departures in Trump"s first 419 days, or on average one every 17 days.
As the WaPo adds, while "Trump is now comfortable with ousting McMaster, with whom he never personally gelled," he is taking the time to execute the move because "he wants to ensure both that the three-star Army general is not humiliated and that there is a strong successor lined up, these people said."
The decision is the latest sign that Trump is wresting back control of his personnel and policy decisions after a string of victories - on tax reform, banking regulations and tariffs - has left him feeling emboldened.
For all of the evident disorder, Trump feels emboldened, advisers said — buoyed by what he views as triumphant decisions last week to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum and to agree to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. 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, one senior White House official said.
Just days ago, Trump used Twitter to fire Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state whom he disliked, and moved to install his close ally, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, in the job. On Wednesday, he named conservative TV analyst Larry Kudlow to replace his top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, who quit over trade disagreements.
McMaster has long been detested by Trump"s nationalist supporters (including, perhaps most notably, the editors of Breitbart.com). Most of this animosity is tied to McMaster"s refusal to adopt the president"s line regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election.
John Bolton
Several candidates have emerged to become Trump"s third National Security Advisor since his inauguration. The group of candidates includes John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, and Keith Kellogg, the chief of staff of the National Security Council.
Kellogg travels with Trump on many domestic trips, in part because the president "likes his company and thinks he"s fun." Bolton has met with Trump several times and often agrees with the president’s instincts. Trump also thinks Bolton, who regularly praises the president on Fox News Channel, is good on television.
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