{"id":27081,"date":"2018-11-16T14:31:59","date_gmt":"2018-11-16T14:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/16\/ricardel-out-at-nsc-following-first-lady-fight\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:21:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:21:23","slug":"ricardel-out-at-nsc-following-first-lady-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/pentagon\/2018\/11\/16\/ricardel-out-at-nsc-following-first-lady-fight\/","title":{"rendered":"Ricardel out at NSC following first lady fight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 After a tumultuous week that included calls for removal from office by the first lady\u2019s spokeswoman, Deputy National Security Adviser<\/a> Mira Ricardel is leaving the NSC \u2014 but not the administration as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday, reports surfaced that Ricardel was expected to be fired by President Donald Trump after some sort of altercation with first lady Melania Trump. The issue was compounded later that day when the first lady\u2019s spokesperson issued a statement declaring it \u201cis the position of the Office of the First Lady that [Ricardel] no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such a statement from the first lady\u2019s office, unusual both in its tone and the fact it called for the firing of a top national security official, sent shock through Washington and led to Ricardel \u2014 in a key spot but generally unknown outside of national security circles \u2014 being featured heavily cable news channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\t