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Several generals on shortlist for U.S. security adviser job

United States President Donald Trump will interview four candidates for the position of US national security adviser today and expects to make a decision soon.

United States President Donald Trump will interview four candidates for the position of US national security adviser today and expects to make a decision soon.

Mr Trump will interview acting adviser Keith Kellogg, former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Lieutenant-General H R McMaster and Lt Gen Robert Caslen, said White House spokesman Sean Spicer.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mr Trump said he had “many, many that want the job”. He also hinted that he had a favourite. “I’ve been thinking about someone for the last three or four days; we’ll see what happens,” said Mr Trump. “I’m meeting with that person. They’re all good, they’re all great people. I’ll make a decision over the next couple of days.”

Mr Trump, who has been searching for a new national security adviser after firing his first one, Mr Michael Flynn, could add a couple more candidates to the list, said Mr Spicer.

Mr Trump’s initial choice for a replacement, retired Vice-Admiral Robert Harward, the chief executive of Lockheed Martin United Arab Emirates, informed the president last week that he would not take the job. Another potential pick, former CIA director David Petraeus, is no longer under consideration, said Mr Spicer.

Mr Flynn stepped down last week after revelations that he had discussed US sanctions on Russia with the Russian Ambassador to the US before Mr Trump took office and misled Vice-President Mike Pence about the conversations.

Mr Flynn’s conversations with the ambassador took place around the time that then-president Barack Obama imposed sanctions on Russia, charging that Moscow had used cyber attacks to try to influence the 2016 presidential election in Mr Trump’s favour. AGENCIES

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