US President Donald Trump shortlists five people for National Security Advisor
US President Donald Trump shortlists five people for National Security Advisor
US President Donald Trump has shortlisted five people for the position of his possible National Security Advisor, a week after he fired John Bolton for making "big mistakes" and not being in line with the administration.
The five names are of Robert O'Brien, Ric Waddell, Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Fred Fleitz and Keith Kellogg, the White House said on Tuesday, adding that it was not a complete list. Last week on September 11, Trump fired his National Security Advisor Bolton, saying he "disagreed strongly" with many of his suggestions.
The President defended his decision to fire Bolton, saying the latter had done some "big mistakes" and his actions were not in line with the administration. "John is known as a tough guy.
He's so tough he got us sent to Iraq that's tough. But he's somebody that I actually had a very good relationship with, but he wasn't getting along with people in the administration that I consider very important," Trump said.
O'Brien serves as Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the Department of State. Major Gen Waddell was Deputy National Security Adviser to Trump in 2017-2018.
Currently, he serves as the Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gordon-Hagerty is currently undersecretary for nuclear security at Department of Energy and administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Army Gen. Kellogg is the current national security adviser to US Vice President Mike Pence and Fleitz is the former chief of staff of Bolton and a former CIA analyst.
Trump praised O'Brien, saying, "I think he's fantastic". About Kellogg, he said, "I love Keith Kellogg. Keith Kellogg he's been with me from the beginning. He's great". About Waddell, Trump said he liked him "a lot".
The White House soon clarified that this was not a complete list and others are also being considered.
"As the President said when speaking to the pool, the names of candidates mentioned for the NSA position was not the full list, and there are others being considered," White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said.
Appointed in April 2018, Bolton was the third national security adviser to leave Trump's side, following in the footsteps of Michael Flynn and H R McMaster.
-PTI
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