Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • Nepal protests
  • Nepal Protests Live
  • Vice-presidential elections
  • iPhone 17
  • IND vs PAK cricket
  • Israel-Hamas war
fp-logo
Trump staff in the firing line: McMaster, Kelly, Sessions, Carson, Shulkin
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • World
  • Trump staff in the firing line: McMaster, Kelly, Sessions, Carson, Shulkin

Trump staff in the firing line: McMaster, Kelly, Sessions, Carson, Shulkin

Agence France-Presse • March 17, 2018, 04:24:16 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

President Donald Trump has hinted he may make yet more personnel changes after he summarily disposed of his secretary of state Rex Tillerson via Twitter. AFP looks at who else is in the firing line.

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
Trump staff in the firing line: McMaster, Kelly, Sessions, Carson, Shulkin

President Donald Trump has hinted he may make yet more personnel changes after he summarily disposed of his secretary of state Rex Tillerson via Twitter. AFP looks at who else is in the firing line: A general in his labyrinth A three star army general, HR McMaster has appeared to be on the chopping block almost since he took up the job just over a year ago. Playing referee between the Pentagon, State Department, CIA and other sharp-elbowed departments is fraught in any administration, but McMaster has, from the start, lacked Trump’s support, so he’s been doing the job without a whistle. His tough positions on the use of military force against Iran and North Korea have made him few friends among the other generals in Trump’s inner circle – chief of staff John Kelly, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Joe Dunford – and White House insiders say he is not long for the West Wing. But first this old soldier needs to find a landing zone, and one that would bump his rank to four stars. One position floated is commander of US Forces Korea, but the timing – during a nuclear standoff and as talks are pending between Trump and Kim Jong Un – appears less than opportune. A delay is seen as possible. [caption id=“attachment_4383619” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] ![Complete chaos in the White House and Trump says there's ](https://images.firstpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Donald-Trump-March-2018_380_AP.jpg) Complete chaos in the White House and Trump says there’s “great energy” there/ AP[/caption] The gatekeeper Kelly’s position looks similarly uncertain. Brought in to impose order on a dysfunctional White House, the chief of staff has bumped up against Trump’s desire to make world-changing decisions on the fly. He has also struggled to keep staff motivated as they wonder about possible indictments in connection with Russian election meddling. But Trump has lost one chief of staff already. That may look like misfortune, to lose two in less than 18 months could look like carelessness. ‘Mr Magoo’ Attorney General Jeff Sessions was an early target of Trump’s ire over his recusal last year from the Russia investigation, a decision that paved the way for the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The former prosecutor reportedly offered to resign at least once after the president publicly insulted him – but has more recently indicated a desire to resist, firing back over Twitter after his boss’s latest broadside calling his handling of illegal wiretapping allegations “disgraceful.” A faithful enforcer of key administration policies like cracking down on illegal immigration and appointing conservative judges, Trump is said nevertheless to hold the septuagenarian in low-esteem, referring to him privately as “Mr Magoo” – a doddering and crotchety cartoon character of yore. Trump’s frustration could reflect his mounting fears or frustration with Mueller’s investigation, focusing increasingly on the president’s inner circle. The cowboy and the cabinet maker “As a teenager,” soft spoken Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson once said, “I would go after people with rocks, and bricks, and baseball bats, and hammers. And, of course, many people know the story when I was 14 and I tried to stab someone.” Today he is getting into trouble by way of chisel, rasp and plane. He stands accused of spending $31,000 of taxpayer cash on a dining set for his office – a refreshingly old fashioned political scandal in an administration where allegations of wife beating, foreign collusion or financial fraud are more common. Horse-riding Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has similarly got his feet caught in the stirrups. He tried to spend $139,000 of taxpayer money on office doors, only months after being embroiled in a scandal over his use of a private jet. The case of both men is said to have annoyed Trump. But as much as the president may hate the bad press, he has yet to foreshadow either Carson or Zinke’s departure. Trump’s aides have little desire to spend the months before November’s Congressional elections trying to get two cabinet secretaries confirmed. Game, set, and match? Veterans Affairs secretary David Shulkin may have less luck. He is accused of spending $122,000 on a trip to Europe that included a visit to watch Wimbledon tennis matches and sightseeing at castles. An inspector general found the department improperly paid for his wife to tag along. When he’s on the job Shulkin runs a department with a reputation for deep dysfunction and one Trump – who has closely courted military votes – has promised to reform. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on Thursday appeared to hint that Shulkin’s tour of duty would soon come to an end. “The President has a large number of individuals that are working hard to make sure that the VA is helping veterans at the best level possible,” she said. “As we make changes, we’ll let you know.”

Tags
sessions Trump Carson McMaster Shulkin
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli remains caretaker PM amid chaos in Nepal. Protesters torched parliament, executive seat, Supreme Court, and presidential residence. President Paudel calls for dialogue as violence continues across the country.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports

QUICK LINKS

  • Trump-Zelenskyy meeting
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV