Donald Trump’s homeland security adviser, Thomas Bossert, resigns ‘after being pushed out by new national security head John Bolton’
Bossert is the second national security official to leave the White House since Bolton began his job on Monday, following Michael Anton, a spokesman for the National Security Council
US President Donald Trump’s homeland security adviser, Thomas Bossert, has announced his resignation - after being pushed out by new national security adviser John Bolton, an insider said.
No reason was given for his departure by the White House, but an inside source told Bloomberg that he was pushed out by Bolton who stepped into his new role this week.
Bossert had previously resisted a reorganization of the National Security Council last year that made him subordinate to the national security adviser, then H.R. McMaster, the insider said.
Brought into the Trump administration by campaign adviser David Bossie, Bossert was regarded as an effective and professional figure by colleagues in the West Wing, especially after his handling of the storm response, a second person familiar with the matter said.
He also had a good rapport with Trump and knew how to communicate with the president.
But he lacked the star power of other top administration officials or the military credentials of the generals Trump appointed as chief of staff and national security adviser, the person said. He was passed over to replace McMaster, further diminishing his clout.
Bossert has served in the White House since Trump’s inauguration. He was been a key adviser to the president on cybersecurity and headed up the White House’s response to major hurricanes that struck Texas, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands last year.
He is the second high-ranking national security official to leave the White House since Bolton began his job on Monday, following Michael Anton, a spokesman for the National Security Council.
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Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that “The President is grateful for Tom's commitment to the safety and security of our great country.”
She continued: “Tom led the White House's efforts to protect the homeland from terrorist threats, strengthen our cyber defences, and respond to an unprecedented series of natural disasters. President Trump thanks him for his patriotic service and wishes him well.”
The announcement of the resignation comes at a surprising time, as the National Guard has been deployed to some areas of the US-Mexico border at the behest of Trump.
Bossert appeared on television defending that move just two days ago.
