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Trump strategist Bannon removed in National Security Council shake-up

WASHINGTON — United States President Donald Trump reshuffled his national security organisation yesterday, removing his chief strategist Stephen Bannon from a top policy-making committee and restoring senior military and intelligence officials who had been downgraded when he first came into office.

The new order removes Mr Bannon (picture) from the NSC’s principals committee, a move that a senior White House official said was a logical evolution. Photo: Reuters

The new order removes Mr Bannon (picture) from the NSC’s principals committee, a move that a senior White House official said was a logical evolution. Photo: Reuters

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WASHINGTON — United States President Donald Trump reshuffled his national security organisation yesterday, removing his chief strategist Stephen Bannon from a top policy-making committee and restoring senior military and intelligence officials who had been downgraded when he first came into office.

The shift was orchestrated by Lieutenant-General H R McMaster, who was tapped as Mr Trump’s national security adviser after the resignation of Mr Michael Flynn, who stepped down in February after being caught misleading Vice-President Mike Pence and other White House officials about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador.

Lt-Gen McMaster inherited an organisational scheme for the National Security Council (NSC) that stirred protests because of Mr Bannon’s role.

The original setup made Mr Bannon, the former chairman of Breitbart News, a member of the principals committee that typically includes Cabinet-level officials like the vice-president, secretary of state and defence secretary.

The original order also made the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the director of national intelligence only occasional participants as issues demanded.

Critics said that Mr Bannon’s presence in a national security policy-making structure risked politicising foreign policy.

A new order issued by Mr Trump, dated Tuesday and made public yesterday, removes Mr Bannon from the principals committee, restores the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and intelligence director, and also adds the energy secretary, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director and United Nations ambassador.

In a statement, Mr Bannon said: “Susan Rice operationalised the NSC during the last administration. I was put on to ensure that it was de-operationalised. General McMaster has returned the NSC to its proper function.”

Ms Rice was the national security adviser in the Obama administration.

A senior White House official presented the move as a logical evolution, not a setback for Mr Bannon. He had originally been put on the principals committee to keep an eye on Mr Flynn and to “de-operationalise” the NSC after the Obama administration, this official said on condition of anonymity to discuss internal dynamics.

However, Mr Bannon only attended one meeting and felt he was no longer needed in that role after the selection of Lt-Gen McMaster as national security adviser, according to CNBC.

But the reorganisation seemed a clear victory for Lt-Gen McMaster as he struggles to assert control over national security.

In addition to the changing membership of the principals committee, the new order also puts the Homeland Security Council under Lt-Gen McMaster rather than making it a separate entity, as Mr Trump’s original order had done.

Mr Bannon was elevated to the NSC’s principals committee at the beginning of Mr Trump’s presidency.

The move drew criticism from some members of Congress and Washington’s foreign policy establishment, who said it was inappropriate for the political adviser to play a role in national security matters. AGENCIES

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