H.R. McMaster Is Set to Exit, Stage Left (Another One Bites the Dust)

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster pauses during a briefing at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, May 16, 2017. President Donald Trump claimed the authority to share "facts pertaining to terrorism" and airline safety with Russia, saying in a pair of tweets he has "an absolute right" as president to do so. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

I told you guys a week ago that there are more high level exits to look forward to, and sure enough, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster is the next clown to come stumbling out of the Trump clown car.

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News of McMaster’s departure is coming a day after the announcement of White House Communications Director Hope Hicks’ impending exit.

It was rumored last year that there was tension between McMaster and President Trump. McMaster apparently has a habit of gently trying to get Trump back on track, when he takes his crazy train off the rails in meetings.

Trump also cut the legs out from under McMaster, after sending him out to read the statements from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, regarding the firing of former FBI Director James Comey.

The day after McMaster’s televised appearance, Trump sat with NBC’s Lester Holt and said that Comey was fired because of the “Russia thing” – and that would be something other than the FBI’s handling of Hillary Clinton’s email server scandal – which is what McMaster said.

It’s also why Trump is having his actions examined, under the possible scope of “obstruction.”

McMaster could be gone as early as April, according to sources with NBC News.

So who is being considered as his replacement?

A leading candidate to become President Donald Trump’s third national security adviser is the auto industry executive Stephen Biegun, according to the officials.

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Some are saying he has been recommended by Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Biegun, who currently serves as vice president of international governmental affairs for the Ford Motor Company, is no stranger to the White House. He served on the National Security Council staff from 2001 to 2003, including as a senior staffer for then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.

Rice introduced Biegun to Mattis, recommending him for a position in the administration, according to a close associate of Rice. After Mattis met with Biegun at a think tank event he was convinced Biegun would be a good fit for the national security adviser role, the associate said.

So he’s just rumored, at this point. In fact, when approached about the rumor, Ford Motor Company spokesperson Christin Baker said there were no plans for Biegun to leave.

If he’s been offered the position, he’s apparently keeping it secret.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah likewise calls it a rumor.

After a long and illustrious career with the U.S. Army, where he earned a Silver Star as a tank commander in the Gulf War, and led the  U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, starting in 2012, he was ready to retire, but got the call in 2017 to work for the Trump administration.

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He took that one, last, hard year.

As a reward for his sacrifice, sources say Mattis is prepared to either offer him another three star job with the Army, or possibly even bump him up to four star.

Defense officials would not speculate on what job McMaster could take in the Army, but two possible options are taking over for Gen. Vincent Brooks at U.S. Forces Korea or becoming the first commander of the new U.S. Army Future’s Command, which will focus on modernizing the force.

Let’s face it. He lived through a year of the Trump administration. He’s ready to take on anything.

 

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