Yahoo Finance Donald Trump replaces HR McMaster with foreign policy hawk John Bolton as national security adviser
Donald Trump has ousted HR McMaster as his national security adviser and will appoint hardliner John Bolton in his place, it emerged on Thursday.
The US president announced the news in a tweet, with the change set to take place on April 9.
The move comes despite repeated rebuttals from the White House over whether Mr McMaster would be removed from office.
It also continues a tumultuous period that has seen a string of major staff departures from the White House and the cabinet.
Mr McMaster, who had never met Mr Trump before being interviewed for the role, clashed with the president over the Iran nuclear deal and Afghanistan policy.
Mr Bolton, who served as George W Bush's UN ambassador and reportedly held talks with Mr Trump on Thursday, is known for his hawkish foreign policy views that are more in line with Mr Trump's stances.
Last month he wrote an article headlined “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First".
Mr Bolton called the appointment "an honour" in a statement late on Thursday, saying he looks "forward to working with President Trump and his leadership team" to "make our country safer at home and stronger abroad."
In a Fox News interview after news of his appointment broke, Mr Bolton appeared to temper his often harsh rhetoric. "Frankly, what I have said in private now, is behind me, at least effective April 9," he said, referring to the date he is scheduled to take over from Mr McMaster.
Some members of Congress immediately questioned his selection for the critical position in the White House.
“This is not a wise choice. Mr. Bolton does not have the temperament or judgment to be an effective national security adviser," Democratic Senator Jack Reed said in a statement.
My official statement on accepting @POTUS' request to become the next National Security Advisor. pic.twitter.com/lptI5AwSeU
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) March 23, 2018
One Republican operative, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted to some concerns about the appointment.
"Some folks think he's a little too hawkish," the source told Agence France-Presse.
"But people who have worked with him think he's a pro and will step into the job knowing the key players, processes and issues."
Mr Trump praised Mr McMaster in his tweet announcing the change. "I am very thankful for the service of General H.R. McMaster who has done an outstanding job & will always remain my friend," he said.
Mr McMaster is expected to retire rather than be fired, with reports that the pair had been discussing his departure for weeks.
I am pleased to announce that, effective 4/9/18, @AmbJohnBolton will be my new National Security Advisor. I am very thankful for the service of General H.R. McMaster who has done an outstanding job & will always remain my friend. There will be an official contact handover on 4/9.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 22, 2018
Mark Sedwill, the UK National Security Adviser and Mr McMaster's opposite man in Britain, praised him as a "great US patriot, great ally [and] great friend" on hearing the news.
Congrats to @AmbJohnBolton. Look forward to new partnership. Thanks to my comrade from many conflicts @HRMcMasterNSC: great US patriot, great ally, great friend. https://t.co/bZ4XFhWI4z
— Mark Sedwill (@marksedwill) March 22, 2018
In the last month Rex Tillerson, the Secretary of State, Gary Cohn, Mr Trump's top economics adviser, and Hope Hicks, his communications director, have all left the administration.
The changes have raised claims that Mr Trump is getting rid of 'no men' and putting people in line with his policy preferences in place instead.
It was the second staff change to emerge on Thursday after John Dowd, Mr Trump's lawyer, quit amid reports he feared the president was no longer following his advice.
The New York Times reported that Mr Trump wants his new top foreign policy advisers in place before his planned face-to-face meeting with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader.
Mr Bolton's appointment, taken together with Mr Tillerson's replacement with Trump ally Mike Pompeo, the CIA head, hints at a change in foreign policy approach.
Mr Trump has called for the Iran nuclear deal to be torn up - something over which Mr McMaster and Mr Tillerson urged caution behind the scenes.
Mr Bolton has been a vocal critic of the deal, writing a piece last October headlined: "Mr. President, don't put America at risk with flawed Iran deal."
The appointment also marks a return to frontline politics for Mr Bolton, 69, who served as Mr Bush's representative at the UN from 2005 to 2006.
The news broke on the same day as Mr Dowd's resignation from Mr Trump's legal team amid reports the pair clashed on how to handle Robert Mueller, the man leading the Russian investigation.
Mr Dowd was said to have advised against Mr Trump agreeing to be interviewed, but the president was increasingly bullish about doing so in order to bring the long investigation to a head.
Shortly after his top lawyer’s resignation, Mr Trump was asked if he was still willing to be interviewed by Mr Mueller. He replied: “I would like to.”
In recent days, against Mr Dowd’s advice, Mr Trump also began publicly attacking Mr Mueller, including by name on Twitter, where he called the probe a biased “witch hunt”.
