John Bolton to replace H.R. McMaster as White House national security adviser, Trump says

Fox News, March 23, 2018 – President Trump announced Thursday that former United Nations Amb. John Bolton will replace Gen. H.R. McMaster as his National Security Adviser effective April 9 — the latest in a growing list of White House staff shakeups over the past year.
“I am pleased to announce that, effective 4/9/18, Amb. John Bolton 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,” Trump tweeted.
The president’s announcement came after months of speculation over whether McMaster would resign or be fired from his post.
Bolton told Fox News’ “The Story” Thursday evening, “I didn’t really expect that announcement this afternoon, but it’s obviously a great honor. It’s always an honor to serve our country and I think particularly in these times internationally, it’s a particular honor.”
But on Thursday evening, a White House official said that the president and McMaster “mutually agreed” that he would resign from his post. The two have been discussing this for some time, the official said, noting that the timeline was expedited as they both felt it was important to have a new team in place, instead of constant speculation.
 
A White House official said the decision was not related to any one moment or incident, but rather the result of ongoing conversations between the two.
The official told Fox News that the move has been contemplated for some time, and was just about the “worst-kept secret” in Washington.
The president took his time to find a replacement for McMaster because he wanted the “right person.”
While Trump spoke to Bolton many times about the job, the deal was cemented in an Oval Office meeting between the two Thursday afternoon.
 
Bolton told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum that the process of his hiring “came to a conclusion this afternoon, but … there’s still a transition. I look forward to working with H.R. and his team and the other senior members of the president’s team on national security and I have no doubt there’s a lot of work to do.”
Bolton has served as a Fox News contributor. The position of White House national security adviser does not require Senate confirmation.
Bolton, who served as U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006 and as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security from 2001 to 2005, will take over for McMaster next month.
“Thank you to Lieutenant General HR McMaster for your service and loyalty to our country. Your selfless courage and leadership has inspired all of us. Most of all, thank you for your friendship,” current U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley tweeted.
A White House official said Bolton is one of the strongest voices and experts on the full range of national security issues and challenges facing the U.S.
Bolton has served in the Republican administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, and served as a Bush lawyer during the 2000 Florida recount.