The Note: McMaster Joins the Ranks of Trump's Administration

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February 21, 2017

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McMaster Joins the Ranks of Trump's Administration

The Big Story

The search for a national security adviser is over. Sat together on a couch at Mar-a-Lago behind a massive bouquet of red roses, President Trump announced his pick as Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster. McMaster is known for his independent thinking and it was a choice widely praised by Republicans. McMaster replaces the dismissed Michael Flynn after he misled the vice president about his discussions with the Russian ambassador. Trump confirmed yesterday Pence helped with the new selection. With the choice of McMaster, the Trump administration is hoping to put the drama of the Flynn business behind them and move on. "He's a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience, I've watched and read a lot over the last few days, he is highly respected by everyone in the military and we are very honored to have him," the president said of McMaster when he announced his choice. McMaster will remain on active duty while filling the post and is another example of the president's reliance on high-ranking military officers in his administration. The selection also came as Pence tried to reassure European allies on his first overseas trip. Pence, along with the secretaries of defense and state also fresh off European trips, aimed to calm allies of American support for NATO and assure them they do speak for the new president.

The Sleeper Story

It's the story that's sticking around. The president was asked twice last week in consecutive press conferences to address concerns about rising anti-Semitic incidents. They were seemingly easy opportunity to denounce anti-Semitism and increasing threats against Jewish people in this country, but the president did not. Instead, the first time Trump brought up his electoral college victory and his own Jewish friends and relatives and the second time he just said, "I am the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life" and heavily criticized the ultra-Orthodox Jewish reporter who asked the question. After another wave of threats against Jewish community centers or JCCs around the country, the White House responded last night with a statement from press secretary Sean Spicer: "Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom. The President has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable." Of course, he has not made it abundantly clear, despite his recent opportunities. His daughter, Ivanka who is Jewish, tweeted last night on the incidents writing, "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC" But, with her father dodging the question and these incidents continuing, the president will keep getting asked this question. Will he answer?

The Shiny Story

We are coming off a holiday weekend, but in case you have been focused on family and fun instead of politics, the Sweden kerfuffle remains the shiny story. Over the weekend, the president saw a segment on Fox News about Sweden and immigration and at his first 2020 campaign rally on Saturday seemed to reference an incident or attack in Sweden the night before that never happened. The president has access to the highest levels of intelligence briefings and experts on both terrorism and immigration, but in the quick reference, we see his continued reliance on cable news. And this one did cause an international outcry. It's a distraction, no doubt, but another example of an awkward and unnecessary diplomatic fumble in the first weeks of this new administration.

TLDR

The president ended his search for a new national security adviser, announcing yesterday at Mar-a-Lago he has selected Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, a choice widely praised, but again shows his reliance on military officers for his top security positions.