Ladies and gentlemen, brace for another Trump staff shake-up:
Just asked the First Lady’s office about deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel : “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House,” Stephanie Grisham The First Lady’s communication director to @ABC
— John Santucci (@Santucci) November 13, 2018
So, this one was Melania Trump’s doing? Color us intrigued.
Wha happun https://t.co/mv9CgsJYQ1
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) November 13, 2018
Yikes
— joe (@JoeTacopino) November 13, 2018
Holy cow https://t.co/U3g9lazOkt
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) November 13, 2018
This is fun.
What the hell did I miss? Is this some Balkan beef from back in the day? https://t.co/DD9vltU60A
— Daniel Foster (@DanFosterType) November 13, 2018
What is the back story on this?
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) November 13, 2018
Let’s see:
Big news for those who follow DOD at the end of this @WSJ story: Trump has decided to remove Mira Ricardel, the top deputy for national security adviser John Bolton. Ricardel has repeatedly clashed with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. https://t.co/hRIL23njfi
— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) November 13, 2018
WSJ: The president became involved in that decision at the urging of first lady Melania Trump, whose staff battled with Ms. Ricardel during the first lady’s trip to Africa last month over seating on the plane and requests to use National Security Council resources
— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) November 13, 2018
Ms. Ricardel also repeatedly clashed with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his Pentagon team over staffing decisions and policy differences… That discord has created a chill in relations between Ms. Ricardel and Defense Department officials wary of her intentions
— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) November 13, 2018
I've been told that Ricardel also was an architect of rumors that Mattis was on his way out. Background @ForeignPolicy https://t.co/EvMm8dRBug
— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) November 13, 2018
WSJ story was just updated: The first lady’s team told the president that they suspect Ms. Ricardel is behind some negative stories about Ms. Trump and her staff.
— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) November 13, 2018
Anyone else have a hankering for some popcorn?
She speaks five languages and knows the word for revenge in all of them! https://t.co/byP5uVFvpg
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) November 13, 2018
***
Update:
Welp, that’s that:
NEW: John Bolton’s No. 2, Mira Ricardel, was escorted from the White House moments ago, an administration officials tell @WSJ. Ricardel was standing just a few feet from President Trump earlier this afternoon. https://t.co/znPd7rZcNe
— Michael C. Bender (@MichaelCBender) November 13, 2018
Hell hath no fury like a First Lady scorned.
***
Update:
Hold up … what’s this?
A White House official tells me that deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel was not fired/escorted off the property.
'This did not happen. She is still here at the WH,' the person said.
— Francesca Chambers (@fran_chambers) November 13, 2018
A White House official just told reporters the WSJ story is not accurate. Says Mira Ricardel has not been fired or escorted off the grounds and is at her desk and still works at the WH now.
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) November 13, 2018
Asked if the White House has a response to the statement from the First Lady’s spokesperson that Ricardel “no longer deserved the honor of serving in the White House” the official said: “the East Wing speaks for the East Wing.”
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) November 13, 2018
I asked the official if Ricardel will still be sitting at her desk tomorrow. The official said: “I don’t know, will you guys be sitting in your booths tomorrow? We’ll see.”
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) November 13, 2018
What the heck?
This is the problem with the Trump White House—anything could be true https://t.co/Vp5X4C2Yri
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) November 13, 2018
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