WASHINGTON (AP) - In an extraordinary move, Melania Trump is publicly calling for the dismissal of a top White House National Security Council official.

After reports circulated Tuesday that the president had decided to remove Mira Ricardel from the NSC, the first lady's spokeswoman issued a statement saying: "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House."

The Wall Street Journal reported that the first lady's staff and Ricardel clashed during Mrs. Trump's visit to Africa in October over such things as seating on the plane and requests to use the council's resources.

Ricardel attended a White House ceremony Tuesday with President Donald Trump celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.</s>Mira Ricardel barely lasted seven months as deputy national security adviser before First Lady Melania Trump issued an unprecedented call for her dismissal and President Donald Trump moved to fire her.

In those few months on the job, Ricardel generated a long list of enemies and developed a reputation for shouting at subordinates, plotting against White House officials she disliked and leaking stories about her administration opponents to the press. One source familiar with the situation said Ricardel’s firing is due in part to her “bullying” of aides both above and below her.

Current and former colleagues of Ricardel paint a picture of a committed conservative and national security expert with a strong personality. One former colleague described her as someone who doesn’t “suffer fools” or have a nuanced touch when it comes to navigating the shoals of internal politics. A White House official was blunter, describing the California native as ideologically driven and “obstinate”.

The former State Department and Pentagon official made enemies of heavyweights within the Trump administration, feuding with chief of staff John Kelly, his deputy Zach Fuentes, and locked horns with Defense Secretary James Mattis, according to people familiar with the White House intrigue.

But her spat with the first lady’s staff over Mrs. Trump’s trip to Africa — apparently over seating on the plane and the use of National Security Council resources — seems to have earned her the enmity of the person who may wield the most weight with Trump: his wife.

The President told people on Tuesday that he had made the decision to fire Ricardel, but that he was giving her time to clear her desk, making her the latest in a long list of high ranking officials who have left or been bootedfrom the Trump administration.

Ricardel did not return requests for comment.

Ricardel was raised in Pasadena, the child of a Croatian immigrant and went on to study at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and then do doctoral work at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

She went on to hold positions in three Republican administrations, working in the departments of State, Defense and Commerce, as well as acting as an aide to then Republican Senate leader Bob Dole. She has also worked in the private sector, including at Boeing, before becoming a member of Trump’s presidential transition team as a Pentagon adviser.

National security adviser John Bolton, who was in Singapore when news of Ricardel’s dismissal broke, said when he tapped her to be his deputy in April that she “has a track record of successfully managing teams and diverse organizations, as well as addressing complex issues.”

And yet repeatedly during Ricardel’s tenure, news stories trickled out of the troubled White House that suggested she wasn’t managing teams or working within them particularly well.

Most famously, she clashed with Mattis during the transition. Ricardel blocked some of his picks for Pentagon positions because they included former Obama administration officials who she felt were not strict Republican loyalists, multiple defense officials have told CNN.

Mattis then blocked Ricardel from getting a high level job at the Pentagon. In the months since Ricardel’s arrival at the NSC, White House sources have repeatedly leaking stories to the press saying that Ricardel and Bolton were spreading rumors about Mattis’ imminent departure in an effort to pressure the Pentagon chief to leave.

Bolton and Ricardel allegedly believe that Mattis is not “ideologically aligned” with Trump, according to Foreign Policy magazine, which quoted a former official saying that the two were trying “to build the sense that he is done for.”

A former Trump transition official who is close to Ricardel said Ricardel thinks Mattis “never should have been appointed and thinks he’s a Democrat and tells anyone who will listen.”

Ricardel also had a fraught relationship with Kelly and Fuentes, according to people familiar with the matter. Kelly and Fuentes believed Ricardel was leaking negative stories about them to the press, those sources said.

But Ricardel seems to have crossed a line in taking on Melania Trump’s office over the first lady’s trip to Africa in October, making what some viewed as challenging requests and being obstinate, the White House official told CNN.

Since then, the source continued, some officials said she has been dishonest about what went on and leaked stories to try and cover her behavior.

The former Trump transition official said they were not surprised to hear that Ricardel butted heads with the first lady and her staff, saying, “she does not suffer fools.” The former transition official characterized Ricardel as “smart and tough,” but acknowledged that she is not always effective at navigating “internal politics.”</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is weighing an administration-wide shakeup as he looks to prepare his White House for divided government, but it is unclear who is going and who is staying.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was thought to be out as soon as this week, according to two people with knowledge of the issue, but she is now likely to remain in the post for a longer period because there is no obvious successor in place.

Trump has soured on Nielsen and White House chief of staff John Kelly, in part over frustration that his administration is not doing more to address what he has called a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the people. But the scope of the contemplated changes is far broader, as Trump gears up for a wave of Democratic oversight requests and to devote more effort to his own re-election campaign.

According to people familiar with the situation, Trump is also discussing replacing Kelly with Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, Nick Ayers. Kelly, a retired Marine general, has been credited with bringing order and process to a chaotic West Wing, but he has fallen out of favor with the president as well as presidential daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Ayers, a seasoned campaign operative, would restore a political-mindset to the role, but he faces stiff opposition from some corners of the West Wing, with some aides lobbying Trump directly against the move.

Other changes are afoot, as Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke are being discussed for replacement. And in an extraordinary move Tuesday, first lady Melania Trump's office called publicly for the firing of Trump's deputy national security adviser, Mira Ricardel.

For all of the talk of churn, Trump often expresses frustration with aides and then does not take action. Talk of Kelly's exit has percolated for months and he remains in place.

Nielsen had hoped to complete one year in the job and leave in December, but it appeared unlikely she would last that long, said two sources. Both people who had knowledge of the debate spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Curbing illegal immigration is Trump's signature issue — and one he returns to as a way to rally his most loyal supporters.

But anyone who takes over at Homeland Security is likely to run up against the same problems that Nielsen faced. The administration has already tried to clamp down at the border but those efforts have been largely thwarted or watered down due to legal challenges.

Trump also told allies that he never fully trusted Nielsen, whom he associated with President George W. Bush, a longtime foe. And he told those close to him that he felt, at times, that her loyalty was more toward her longtime mentor — Kelly — than to the president.

Zinke, who faces several ethics investigations, said in interview with The Associated Press on Monday that he has spoken in recent days with Trump, Pence and Kelly about probes into his leadership and they remain supportive. He denied any wrongdoing.

Ross addressed turnover rumors at a Yahoo! Finance summit Tuesday, saying he was in the post to give back to the country and support Trump.

"I worked very hard to get President Trump elected," he said. "Now I'd like to work equally hard to have him succeed and be re-elected."

Questions about Nielsen's job security are not new. Earlier this year, she pushed back on a New York Times report that she drafted a resignation letter but did not submit it, after Trump scolded her at a Cabinet meeting.

Nielsen has led the sprawling post-9/11 federal agency since December. She had been chief of staff to Kelly when he was Trump's first Homeland Security secretary. A DHS spokesman would not comment on whether she was leaving.

"The secretary is honored to lead the men and women of DHS and is committed to implementing the president's security-focused agenda to protect Americans from all threats and will continue to do so," spokesman Tyler Houlton said.

Nielsen advocated for strong cybersecurity defense, and often said she believed the next terror major attack would occur online — not by planes or bombs. She was tasked with helping states secure elections following interference by Russians during the 2016 election.

She pushed Trump's immigration policies, including funding for his border wall and defended the administration's practice of separating children from parents, telling a Senate committee that removing children from parents facing criminal charges happens "in the United States every day." But she was also instrumental in stopping the separations.

Just last week, the administration announced that migrants would be denied asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border if they crossed illegally, creating regulations that circumvent immigration laws stating anyone can claim asylum no matter how they arrive to the country. The decision would affect about 70,000 people annually and was immediately challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Nielsen also moved to abandon longstanding regulations that dictate how long children are allowed to be held in immigration detention, and requested bed space from the U.S. military for some 12,000 people in an effort to detain all families who cross the border. Right now there is space for about 3,000 families and they are at capacity.

She got into heated discussions with Trump and White House aides several times over immigration policy, as she sought to explain the complicated legal challenges behind immigration law and pushed for a more diplomatic approach.

It's unclear who would replace her. The job requires Senate confirmation and there is no deputy secretary. Under Secretary for Management Claire Grady would be the acting head if Nielsen left.

Associated Press Writers Darlene Superville in Washington and Jonathan Lemire in New York contributed to this report.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is weighing an administration-wide shakeup as he looks to prepare his White House for divided government, but it is unclear who is going and who is staying.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was thought to be out as soon as this week, according to two people with knowledge of the issue, but she is now likely to remain in the post for a longer period because there is no obvious successor in place.

Trump has soured on Nielsen and White House chief of staff John Kelly, in part over frustration that his administration is not doing more to address what he has called a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the people. But the scope of the contemplated changes is far broader, as Trump gears up for a wave of Democratic oversight requests and to devote more effort to his own re-election campaign.

According to people familiar with the situation, Trump is also discussing replacing Kelly with Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, Nick Ayers. Kelly, a retired Marine general, has been credited with bringing order and process to a chaotic West Wing, but he has fallen out of favor with the president as well as presidential daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Ayers, a seasoned campaign operative, would restore a political-mindset to the role, but he faces stiff opposition from some corners of the West Wing, with some aides lobbying Trump directly against the move.

Other changes are afoot, as Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke are being discussed for replacement. And in an extraordinary move Tuesday, first lady Melania Trump's office called publicly for the firing of Trump's deputy national security adviser, Mira Ricardel.

For all of the talk of churn, Trump often expresses frustration with aides and then does not take action. Talk of Kelly's exit has percolated for months and he remains in place.

Nielsen had hoped to complete one year in the job and leave in December, but it appeared unlikely she would last that long, said two sources. Both people who had knowledge of the debate spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Curbing illegal immigration is Trump's signature issue — and one he returns to as a way to rally his most loyal supporters.

But anyone who takes over at Homeland Security is likely to run up against the same problems that Nielsen faced. The administration has already tried to clamp down at the border but those efforts have been largely thwarted or watered down due to legal challenges.

Trump also told allies that he never fully trusted Nielsen, whom he associated with President George W. Bush, a longtime foe. And he told those close to him that he felt, at times, that her loyalty was more toward her longtime mentor — Kelly — than to the president.

Zinke, who faces several ethics investigations, said in interview with The Associated Press on Monday that he has spoken in recent days with Trump, Pence and Kelly about probes into his leadership and they remain supportive. He denied any wrongdoing.

Ross addressed turnover rumors at a Yahoo! Finance summit Tuesday, saying he was in the post to give back to the country and support Trump.

"I worked very hard to get President Trump elected," he said. "Now I'd like to work equally hard to have him succeed and be re-elected."

Questions about Nielsen's job security are not new. Earlier this year, she pushed back on a New York Times report that she drafted a resignation letter but did not submit it, after Trump scolded her at a Cabinet meeting.

Nielsen has led the sprawling post-9/11 federal agency since December. She had been chief of staff to Kelly when he was Trump's first Homeland Security secretary. A DHS spokesman would not comment on whether she was leaving.

"The secretary is honored to lead the men and women of DHS and is committed to implementing the president's security-focused agenda to protect Americans from all threats and will continue to do so," spokesman Tyler Houlton said.

Nielsen advocated for strong cybersecurity defense, and often said she believed the next terror major attack would occur online — not by planes or bombs. She was tasked with helping states secure elections following interference by Russians during the 2016 election.

She pushed Trump's immigration policies, including funding for his border wall and defended the administration's practice of separating children from parents, telling a Senate committee that removing children from parents facing criminal charges happens "in the United States every day." But she was also instrumental in stopping the separations.

Just last week, the administration announced that migrants would be denied asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border if they crossed illegally, creating regulations that circumvent immigration laws stating anyone can claim asylum no matter how they arrive to the country. The decision would affect about 70,000 people annually and was immediately challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Nielsen also moved to abandon longstanding regulations that dictate how long children are allowed to be held in immigration detention, and requested bed space from the U.S. military for some 12,000 people in an effort to detain all families who cross the border. Right now there is space for about 3,000 families and they are at capacity.

She got into heated discussions with Trump and White House aides several times over immigration policy, as she sought to explain the complicated legal challenges behind immigration law and pushed for a more diplomatic approach.

It's unclear who would replace her. The job requires Senate confirmation and there is no deputy secretary. Under Secretary for Management Claire Grady would be the acting head if Nielsen left.

Associated Press Writers Darlene Superville in Washington and Jonathan Lemire in New York contributed to this report.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) - Deputy national security adviser Mira Ricardel is leaving the White House, one day after first lady Melania Trump's office issued an extraordinary statement calling for her dismissal.

No replacement was named. Aides said Ricardel clashed with the first lady's staff over her visit to Africa last month. Yet it is highly unusual for a first lady or her office to weigh in on personnel matters, especially the president's national security staff.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Ricardel will have a new role in the administration.

On Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's spokeswoman, released a statement saying: "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House."

President Donald Trump's White House has set records for administration turnover. Ricardel was the third person to hold the post under Trump.

An ally of national security adviser John Bolton, Ricardel began her service in the Trump administration as associate director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, then moved to the Commerce Department last year.

Bolton brought her into the West Wing shortly after taking the job in April. He is traveling in Asia this week alongside Vice President Mike Pence.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — In an extraordinary move, Melania Trump is publicly calling for the dismissal of a top White House National Security Council official.

After reports circulated Tuesday that the president had decided to remove Mira Ricardel from the NSC, the first lady's spokeswoman issued a statement saying: "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House."

The Wall Street Journal reported that the first lady's staff and Ricardel clashed during Mrs. Trump's visit to Africa in October over such things as seating on the plane and requests to use the council's resources.

Ricardel attended a White House ceremony Tuesday with President Donald Trump celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — In an extraordinary move, Melania Trump is publicly calling for the dismissal of a top White House National Security Council official.

After reports circulated Tuesday that the president had decided to remove Mira Ricardel from the NSC, the first lady's spokeswoman issued a statement saying: "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House."

FROM ONE TO ANOTHER: Michelle Obama says she's not advised Melania Trump

The Wall Street Journal reported that the first lady's staff and Ricardel clashed during Mrs. Trump's visit to Africa in October over such things as seating on the plane and requests to use the council's resources.

Ricardel attended a White House ceremony Tuesday with President Donald Trump celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.</s>On Tuesday afternoon, ABC’s John Santucci reported that office of first lady Melania Trump believed that Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security advisor, should lose her job. In a statement, Stephanie Grisham, Melanie Trump’s communication director, wrote, “It is the position of the Office of the first lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House.”

It’s highly unusual, perhaps without precedent, for a first lady to try and exert this sort of sway over a national security official.

Jennifer Jacobs of Bloomberg reports that Melania Trump and Ricardel quarrelled over seating arrangements in a trip the First Lady made to Africa.

Later Tuesday afternoon, Wall Street Journal White House reporter Michael C. Bender tweeted that Ricardel did indeed appear to be out of a job:

More than most administrations, the Trump White House has been characterized by court intrigue.



As The New York Times recently reported, conflicts between Trump’s wife and his daughter sometimes take up the time of White House chief of staff, John Kelly, who is tasked with mediating between the two women.

The newspaper described one such conflict, also related to Melania Trump’s Africa trip:

The first lady’s office had asked West Wing officials to give her some space while she was in Africa so she could showcase the work she was doing, according to two people briefed on the discussion. There were widely distributed photographs of Mrs. Trump at several of the stops, including Accra, Ghana, where she was pictured cradling a small child. But two days later, Ivanka Trump posted on her Instagram feed a video filmed by the White House team that had a final image of her with a black child during a tour of storm-struck North Carolina. Someone in the West Wing noticed it, and flagged it for the White House chief of staff, John F. Kelly, who has privately described the Trump children as “playing government” and who was supposed to help manage the relationship between the two women’s offices, according to two people familiar with the conversation. Mr. Kelly discussed the video with Ms. Trump’s staff, according to two people familiar with the talks. A White House official disputed that Mr. Kelly had such a discussion.</s>Deputy national security adviser Mira Ricardel has been fired, barely 24 hours after first lady Melania Trump publicly called for her dismissal.

Melania Trump reportedly made the unprecedented request in response to a squabble with Ricardel over seating on a plane during the first lady’s trip to Africa last month and over the first lady’s staff’s attempt to use National Security Council resources.

Not helping her case, CNN notes the adviser was also suspected of leaking unflattering stories about Trump officials she viewed as opponents and had a reputation for being brusque.

“Mira Ricardel will continue to support the President as she departs the White House to transition to a new role within the Administration,” Sanders said. “The President is grateful for Ms. Ricardel’s continued service to the American people and her steadfast pursuit of his national security priorities.”

Ricardel served as the top aide to national security adviser John Bolton, who had resisted calls for her dismissal, according to Politico. Bolton is in Singapore this week with Vice President Mike Pence for the ASEAN-U.S. Summit and the East Asia Summit.

Ricardel formerly held positions in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.</s>In an extraordinary move, Melania Trump is publicly calling for the dismissal of a top White House National Security Council official.

WASHINGTON — In an extraordinary move, Melania Trump is publicly calling for the dismissal of a top White House National Security Council official.

After reports circulated Tuesday that the president had decided to remove Mira Ricardel from the NSC, the first lady’s spokeswoman issued a statement saying: “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House.”

The Wall Street Journal reported that the first lady’s staff and Ricardel clashed during Mrs. Trump’s visit to Africa in October over such things as seating on the plane and requests to use the council’s resources.

Ricardel attended a White House ceremony Tuesday with President Donald Trump celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Deputy National Security Advisor Mira Ricardel is "to transition to a new role within the administration", a day after First Lady Melania Trump called for Ricardel's ousting.