Newly ascended national security advisor John Bolton effectively fired longtime homeland security advisor Tom Bossert in a surprise move Tuesday.
NEWS: Bossert is essentially being fired.
He is resigning at the request of new National Security Adviser John Bolton, I’m told.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) April 10, 2018
Bossert’s resignation follows the departure of now-former Trump NSC spokesman Michael Anton Monday. An NSC source explained to The Daily Caller that Bolton needed to ensure his message was effectively communicated to President Donald Trump and that both Anton and Bossert’s jobs required regular face time with him.
“The President is grateful for Tom’s commitment to the safety and security of our great country,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement after the news became public. Tom led the White House’s efforts to protect the homeland from terrorist threats, strengthen our cyber defenses, and respond to an unprecedented series of natural disasters. President Trump thanks him for his patriotic service and wishes him well.”
Bolton is expected to continue purging Trump’s NSC team. A former U.S. official who worked closely with Bolton explained to TheDC, “Bolton is in a position right now of figuring out, ‘how do I stop the leaks if I’m using the same people?’ It’s not that he wants to clean house,” adding that the only way to effectively ensure the only way to do that is to bring in his own people.
