NEW: Pres. Trump names Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as new national security adviser https://t.co/H9n7JKbYS7 pic.twitter.com/s4BPtmwvQ2
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 20, 2017
Donald Trump’s search for a new National Security Advisor has come to an end. CBS reports that he tapped Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster for the gig. McMaster is set to replace Gen. Michael Flynn, who resigned after misleading Mike Pence and the FBI about his chat with a Russian ambassador.
Flynn’s resignation was a black mark for the Trump administration, which is going through some growing pains. Vice President Mike Pence expressed his disappointment with being “misled” by Flynn, and Trump seemed to be growing more frustrated by the day when his top replacement pick didn’t want the job. But perhaps McMaster’s appointment can be a fresh start, as his qualifications speak for themselves.
McMaster has a decorated military career. He currently serves as the of the Army Capabilities Integration Center and has led forces in Iraq. He’s skilled at determining the military’s capabilities for possible future threats — a prime job requirement as national security adviser. Fox News notes that he penned Dereliction of Duty, which was a critical look at how the U.S. handled the Vietnam War, which may be a sign of his advice he may be giving Trump. Trump made the big announcement on Monday from his Mar-a-Lago resort while touting McMaster’s “tremendous talent”:
“I just wanted to announce we’ve been working all weekend very diligently, very hard, that Gen. H.R. McMaster will become the national security adviser. He’s a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience. I watched and read a lot over the last two days…he is highly respected by everybody in the military we’re very honored to have him.”
Trump also announced that Gen. Keith Kellogg, who acted as interim national security adviser, will return to his previous job as chief of staff of the National Security Council.