John Bolton, a controversial former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, will replace Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser next month.Bolton is known for his hawkish, hardline stances on would-be nuclear powers like North Korea and Iran — just last month, he wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed entitled “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First.” He’ll take office on April 9, just weeks before Trump is set to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.
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McMaster’s resignation had been in the works for weeks, White House officials told the New York Times, and his exit was far more amicable than that of former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was abruptly fired via tweet. Still, with McMaster and Tillerson both out, there are few left in Trump’s inner circle likely to advocate for a peaceful resolution to conflicts with Iran and North Korea. Mike Pompeo, the former head of the CIA who will replace Tillerson, is also known as a hawk.“H.R. McMaster has served his country with distinction for more than 30 years,” Trump said in a statement. “He has won many battles and his bravery and toughness are legendy. General McMasters’ leadership of the National Security Council staff has helped my administration accomplish great things to bolster America’s national security.”McMaster is just the latest casualty of the Trump White House’s record-breaking employee turnover. Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, resigned about a month into the job after allegedly lying to Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with Russian officials. Since then, dozens of major staffers have either resigned or been fired from the Trump administration, with at least eight people departing in the last two months alone.In a statement, McMaster said he will also use his resignation as an opportunity to retire from the military.“I am thankful to President Donald J. Trump for the opportunity to serve him and our nation as national security adviser,” McMaster said. “I am grateful for the friendship and support of the members of the National Security Council who worked together to provide the President with the best options to protect and advance our national interests.”Cover image: NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - FEBRUARY 22: Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton speaks during CPAC 2018 February 22, 2018 in National Harbor, Maryland. The American Conservative Union hosted its annual Conservative Political Action Conference to discuss conservative agenda. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)