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| Michael Flynn said to be offered job of Trump national security adviser | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| President-elect Donald Trump has offered the job of national security adviser to former military intelligence chief Michael Flynn, according to a senior Trump official. | |
| Flynn, 57, who served as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, has advised Trump on national security issues for months. Flynn broke from other national security experts who denounced Trump, joining the then-candidate on the campaign trail and leading chants against Hillary Clinton, including those that called for her to be locked up. | |
| As national security adviser, he would work in the White House and have frequent access to the president. The post does not require Senate confirmation. The Trump official, who was not authorized to discuss the offer publicly, would not say whether Flynn had accepted the job. | |
| Flynn, a retired three-star army general, ran the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), one of the highest positions a military intelligence officer can attain, between 2012 and 2014. But clashes with top Obama administration officials led to his departure. James Clapper, the CIA director who announced his resignation on Thursday, played a leading role in Flynn’s departure. | |
| A controversial figure, Flynn has been criticized for regularly appearing on RT, the Russian state-owned television station, and once attended an RT gala, sitting two seats from Russian president, Vladimir Putin. He later said his speaker’s bureau had arranged the trip and that he saw no distinction between RT and TV news organizations like CNN. | |
| Flynn wrote in his 2016 book, The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies, that he was “not a devotee of so-called political correctness”. | |
| Also on Thursday, diplomatic sources said that David Petraeus – the former US army general and CIA director who was prosecuted for mishandling classified information – had entered the race to become Donald Trump’s secretary of state. | |
| Petraeus resigned in November 2012 after the FBI discovered he had had an affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, and had shared classified information with her. He eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for mishandling the information. People who have seen him recently say he is anxious to return to public life and has privately refused to rule out serving in a Trump administration. | Petraeus resigned in November 2012 after the FBI discovered he had had an affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, and had shared classified information with her. He eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for mishandling the information. People who have seen him recently say he is anxious to return to public life and has privately refused to rule out serving in a Trump administration. |
| Petraeus, who was also a US commander in Afghanistan and Iraq, has made flattering remarks about Trump since the election. “He’s right to criticise Washington over its partisanship and its inability to forge compromises,” he told the German cable news channel Deutsche Welle this week. “He’s a dealmaker. Let’s see if he can make some deals in Washington.” | Petraeus, who was also a US commander in Afghanistan and Iraq, has made flattering remarks about Trump since the election. “He’s right to criticise Washington over its partisanship and its inability to forge compromises,” he told the German cable news channel Deutsche Welle this week. “He’s a dealmaker. Let’s see if he can make some deals in Washington.” |
| He added: “This is an individual who is a political outsider. Perhaps he can do something in Washington that the political insiders, who he rightly criticises, have been unable to do, which is to come together to give a little, to gain a lot for our country.” | He added: “This is an individual who is a political outsider. Perhaps he can do something in Washington that the political insiders, who he rightly criticises, have been unable to do, which is to come together to give a little, to gain a lot for our country.” |
| The favourite for the secretary of defence, according to diplomats who have been in touch with the Trump team in recent days, is Jeff Sessions, a rightwing, anti-immigration senator from Alabama who has been accused of making racist remarks. | The favourite for the secretary of defence, according to diplomats who have been in touch with the Trump team in recent days, is Jeff Sessions, a rightwing, anti-immigration senator from Alabama who has been accused of making racist remarks. |
| But the battle for top foreign policy jobs is still intense, and foreign governments are being warned a comprehensive announcement may not be made until after the Thanksgiving holiday on 24 November. | |
| On Thursday, Trump’s team announced he had met Sessions at Trump Tower in New York the day before. “The president-elect has been unbelievably impressed with Senator Sessions and his phenomenal record as Alabama’s attorney general and US attorney,” a spokesperson said. “It is no wonder the people of Alabama re-elected him without opposition.” | |
| Earlier this week, the main contenders for secretary of state appeared to be former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and former ambassador to the UN John Bolton, but Giuliani ran into significant opposition over his extensive lobbying ties with foreign governments, and Bolton’s fiercely held convictions on the strategic need to confront Russian expansionism are at odds with the views of Trump’s inner circle. | Earlier this week, the main contenders for secretary of state appeared to be former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and former ambassador to the UN John Bolton, but Giuliani ran into significant opposition over his extensive lobbying ties with foreign governments, and Bolton’s fiercely held convictions on the strategic need to confront Russian expansionism are at odds with the views of Trump’s inner circle. |
| South Carolina governor Nikki Haley is seen as another option, and she visited Trump Tower on Thursday. Haley, who was born in the US to Sikh parents who emigrated from India, would join a cabinet that looks set to be dominated by white men. Trump’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, told reporters: “We’re just happy to have her here for her advice and her counsel and hearing about the great success story that is South Carolina under her leadership.” | South Carolina governor Nikki Haley is seen as another option, and she visited Trump Tower on Thursday. Haley, who was born in the US to Sikh parents who emigrated from India, would join a cabinet that looks set to be dominated by white men. Trump’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, told reporters: “We’re just happy to have her here for her advice and her counsel and hearing about the great success story that is South Carolina under her leadership.” |
| A small circle including family members and Flynn is said to be urging Trump not make appointments of well-known Washington figures that would send a “business as usual” messages to the people who voted for him. | |
| The president-elect also received advice on Thursday from Henry Kissinger, 93, who was secretary of state under Richard Nixon. A statement from the transition team office said they had “a great meeting” at Trump Tower and discussed China, Russia, Iran, the EU and other events and issues around the world. | The president-elect also received advice on Thursday from Henry Kissinger, 93, who was secretary of state under Richard Nixon. A statement from the transition team office said they had “a great meeting” at Trump Tower and discussed China, Russia, Iran, the EU and other events and issues around the world. |
| It quoted Trump as saying: “I have tremendous respect for Dr Kissinger and appreciate him sharing his thoughts with me.” | It quoted Trump as saying: “I have tremendous respect for Dr Kissinger and appreciate him sharing his thoughts with me.” |
| Kissinger’s legacy as America’s top diplomat remains hugely divisive: Hillary Clinton, who also held the position, has welcomed his praise but her former Democratic rival Bernie Sanders branded him “one of the most destructive secretaries of state in the modern history of this country”. | Kissinger’s legacy as America’s top diplomat remains hugely divisive: Hillary Clinton, who also held the position, has welcomed his praise but her former Democratic rival Bernie Sanders branded him “one of the most destructive secretaries of state in the modern history of this country”. |
| Foreign governments have had to scramble to make connections with the Trump transition team, which one diplomat estimated at less than a hundred – a tenth of the size of Clinton’s would-be transition team that had been standing by until the shock election result. | Foreign governments have had to scramble to make connections with the Trump transition team, which one diplomat estimated at less than a hundred – a tenth of the size of Clinton’s would-be transition team that had been standing by until the shock election result. |
| The Germans have found Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, their most amenable interlocutor, while the British, who have yet to cultivate Kushner, found their best contacts were swept out along with the former head of the transition team, New Jersey governor Chris Christie. British diplomats had to try a number of different routes before managing late on 9 November to arrange a phone call with Theresa May early the next morning. | The Germans have found Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, their most amenable interlocutor, while the British, who have yet to cultivate Kushner, found their best contacts were swept out along with the former head of the transition team, New Jersey governor Chris Christie. British diplomats had to try a number of different routes before managing late on 9 November to arrange a phone call with Theresa May early the next morning. |
| Jason Miller, a spokesman for Trump, told reporters in a conference call that “appropriate precautions are being taken” to secure phone calls between the president-elect and world leaders. Trump is briefed by “a team of policy folks and protocol individuals” prior to conversations with world leaders, he added. | Jason Miller, a spokesman for Trump, told reporters in a conference call that “appropriate precautions are being taken” to secure phone calls between the president-elect and world leaders. Trump is briefed by “a team of policy folks and protocol individuals” prior to conversations with world leaders, he added. |
| Speculation over other cabinet positions is no less intense. As well as Sessions, Congressman Mike Pompeo of Kansas is also believed to be in contention for defence secretary. As a congressional candidate in 2010, he had to apologise for a tweet his campaign sent out promoting an article that called his opponent Raj Goyle, an Indian American Democrat, a “turban topper” who “could be a muslim, a hindy, a buddhist etc who knows”. | Speculation over other cabinet positions is no less intense. As well as Sessions, Congressman Mike Pompeo of Kansas is also believed to be in contention for defence secretary. As a congressional candidate in 2010, he had to apologise for a tweet his campaign sent out promoting an article that called his opponent Raj Goyle, an Indian American Democrat, a “turban topper” who “could be a muslim, a hindy, a buddhist etc who knows”. |
| Senator Ted Cruz, branded “Lyin’ Ted” by Trump during a bitter Republican primary campaign, told Fox News that he and the celebrity businessman had had “a far-reaching conversation” at Trump Tower. Tipped as a possible attorney general, Cruz added: “I’m eager to work with the new president in whatever capacity I can have the greatest impact defending the principles that I was elected to defend.” | Senator Ted Cruz, branded “Lyin’ Ted” by Trump during a bitter Republican primary campaign, told Fox News that he and the celebrity businessman had had “a far-reaching conversation” at Trump Tower. Tipped as a possible attorney general, Cruz added: “I’m eager to work with the new president in whatever capacity I can have the greatest impact defending the principles that I was elected to defend.” |
| Preparations for the handover of power continued in Washington, where Trump is due to be inaugurated on 20 January. | Preparations for the handover of power continued in Washington, where Trump is due to be inaugurated on 20 January. |
| Vice-President-elect Mike Pence visited Republicans in the House of Representatives. Congressman Daniel Webster of Florida told the Associated Press that Pence said the next year they would not see the slow process they are accustomed to as the party sets about reversing Barack Obama’s policies. Pence, a devout Christian, also asked lawmakers to pray for Trump and his family. | Vice-President-elect Mike Pence visited Republicans in the House of Representatives. Congressman Daniel Webster of Florida told the Associated Press that Pence said the next year they would not see the slow process they are accustomed to as the party sets about reversing Barack Obama’s policies. Pence, a devout Christian, also asked lawmakers to pray for Trump and his family. |
| Among Democrats, the postmortem over Clinton’s traumatic loss went on. On Thursday, the House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi of California, described the letter sent by the FBI director, James Comey, in October announcing an investigation into additional Clinton emails as a “foul deed” that cost Democrats the election. | |
| The Nevada senator Harry Reid called on Trump to do more to end acts of “hate and intimidation” happening across the US, with 437 since the election recorded by the Southern Poverty Law Center. “ | The Nevada senator Harry Reid called on Trump to do more to end acts of “hate and intimidation” happening across the US, with 437 since the election recorded by the Southern Poverty Law Center. “ |
| Our nation is looking at Donald Trump to do something,” said Reid. “For the sake of the American people, I hope he will.” | Our nation is looking at Donald Trump to do something,” said Reid. “For the sake of the American people, I hope he will.” |