| | The Strategic Initiatives Group was headed by [[Steve Bannon]],<ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/20/susan-rice-urges-hr-mcmaster-get-rid-stephen-banno/</ref> who was ousted from the [[National Security Council]] staff within weeks, and Deputy National Security Advisor K.T. McFarland's departure was announced days later. McMaster has allowed Susan Rice to maintain her security clearance.<ref>Spiering, Charlie (August 3, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/03/h-r-mcmaster-promised-susan-rice-keep-security-clearance-secret-letter/ H.R. McMaster Promised Susan Rice She Could Keep Security Clearance in Secret Letter]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 11, 2017.</ref> At the same time, McMaster fired several pro-Trump NSC appointees,<ref>Wong, Kristina (August 15, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/15/exclusive-inside-general-mcmasters-purge-how-national-security-adviser-eliminated-trump-loyalists/ EXCLUSIVE–Inside General McMaster’s Purge: How National Security Adviser Eliminated Trump Loyalists]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.</ref><ref>Pappas, Alex (August 2, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/08/02/mcmaster-ousts-another-national-security-council-aide.html McMaster ousts another National Security Council aide]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.</ref> including one who authored a memo stating that the [[deep state]] was waging a political war against the Trump Administration and that many people in the administration had pushed the president from his original conservative agenda.<ref>Wong, Kristina (August 12, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/12/mcmaster-detonated-over-memo-that-warned-of-political-warfare-effort-against-trump/ McMaster ‘Detonated’ Over Memo that Warned of Political Warfare Effort Against Trump]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.</ref><ref>Gertz, Bill (August 11, 2017). [http://freebeacon.com/national-security/fired-nsc-aide-reveals-political-warfare-operation-targeting-trump/ Fired NSC Aide Reveals Political Warfare Operation Targeting Trump]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.</ref> In light of [[conservative]] criticism of McMaster, the [[Council on American-Islamic Relations]], a wing of the [[Muslim Brotherhood]],<ref>Nazarian, Adelle (August 10, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/10/cair-defends-h-r-mcmaster-on-twitter-claims-islamophobes-white-supremacists-behind-effort-to-remove-him-from-white-house/ CAIR Defends H.R. McMaster, Claims ‘Islamophobes, White Supremacists’ Behind Effort to Remove Him]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 11, 2017.</ref> along with [[RINO]] Senator [[John McCain]], endorsed him.<ref>Shaw, Adam (August 16, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/16/john-mccain-backs-embattled-h-r-mcmaster-face-criticism-trumps-base/ John McCain Backs Embattled H.R. McMaster, Gets Dinged by Trump]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 16, 2017.</ref> | | The Strategic Initiatives Group was headed by [[Steve Bannon]],<ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/20/susan-rice-urges-hr-mcmaster-get-rid-stephen-banno/</ref> who was ousted from the [[National Security Council]] staff within weeks, and Deputy National Security Advisor K.T. McFarland's departure was announced days later. McMaster has allowed Susan Rice to maintain her security clearance.<ref>Spiering, Charlie (August 3, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/03/h-r-mcmaster-promised-susan-rice-keep-security-clearance-secret-letter/ H.R. McMaster Promised Susan Rice She Could Keep Security Clearance in Secret Letter]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 11, 2017.</ref> At the same time, McMaster fired several pro-Trump NSC appointees,<ref>Wong, Kristina (August 15, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/15/exclusive-inside-general-mcmasters-purge-how-national-security-adviser-eliminated-trump-loyalists/ EXCLUSIVE–Inside General McMaster’s Purge: How National Security Adviser Eliminated Trump Loyalists]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.</ref><ref>Pappas, Alex (August 2, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/08/02/mcmaster-ousts-another-national-security-council-aide.html McMaster ousts another National Security Council aide]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.</ref> including one who authored a memo stating that the [[deep state]] was waging a political war against the Trump Administration and that many people in the administration had pushed the president from his original conservative agenda.<ref>Wong, Kristina (August 12, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/12/mcmaster-detonated-over-memo-that-warned-of-political-warfare-effort-against-trump/ McMaster ‘Detonated’ Over Memo that Warned of Political Warfare Effort Against Trump]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.</ref><ref>Gertz, Bill (August 11, 2017). [http://freebeacon.com/national-security/fired-nsc-aide-reveals-political-warfare-operation-targeting-trump/ Fired NSC Aide Reveals Political Warfare Operation Targeting Trump]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved August 15, 2017.</ref> In light of [[conservative]] criticism of McMaster, the [[Council on American-Islamic Relations]], a wing of the [[Muslim Brotherhood]],<ref>Nazarian, Adelle (August 10, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/10/cair-defends-h-r-mcmaster-on-twitter-claims-islamophobes-white-supremacists-behind-effort-to-remove-him-from-white-house/ CAIR Defends H.R. McMaster, Claims ‘Islamophobes, White Supremacists’ Behind Effort to Remove Him]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 11, 2017.</ref> along with [[RINO]] Senator [[John McCain]], endorsed him.<ref>Shaw, Adam (August 16, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/16/john-mccain-backs-embattled-h-r-mcmaster-face-criticism-trumps-base/ John McCain Backs Embattled H.R. McMaster, Gets Dinged by Trump]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 16, 2017.</ref> |