{"id":97912,"date":"2018-03-02T02:28:09","date_gmt":"2018-03-02T02:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/02\/white-house-denies-national-security-adviser-mcmaster-is-departing\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T10:38:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T10:38:40","slug":"white-house-denies-national-security-adviser-mcmaster-is-departing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/03\/02\/white-house-denies-national-security-adviser-mcmaster-is-departing\/","title":{"rendered":"White House denies McMaster is leaving; Biegun, Bolton seen as possible replacements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The White House pushed back Thursday against an MSNBC report that President Donald Trump is planning to replace National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster<\/a>, but that has not stopped speculation that the three-star Army general will be departing the administration in the near future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Security Council spokesman Michael Anton said Trump called the report \u201cfake news\u201d in a meeting with McMaster Thursday and informed McMaster \u201cthat he is doing a great job.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Thursday report suggested that McMaster will soon be replaced by Ford executive Stephen Biegun, who served in the George W. Bush administration. It said the replacement plan was drawn up by Defense Secretary James Mattis and Chief of Staff John Kelly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biegun served two years on the Bush National Security Council, including as chief operating officer. He also spent time as as national security adviser to then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and previously has spent time on the professional staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biegun was also a top foreign relations adviser on the presidential campaign of John McCain in 2008, during which time he impressed Kori Schake, now deputy director-general at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSteve Biegan would be an outstanding national security advisor,\u201d Schake told Defense News shortly after the MSNBC story broke. \u201cHe\u2019s smart, he\u2019s competent, he knows how to make stuff work with no drama, and he is one of the few national security experts that also understands economics because he has been a businessman,\u201d
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also praised Biegan for his foreign policy experiences, including two years spent in Moscow, saying it gives him \u201ca deeply, richly skeptical view\u201d of Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\t