| − | 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> McMaster either also kept Obama holdovers or hired liberal, globalist, and [[anti-Trump]] members to the NSC.<ref name="Steinberg2017">Steinberg, David (September 12, 2017). [https://pjmedia.com/davidsteinberg/exclusive-gen-mcmaster-sparked-row-israeli-delegation-white-house-meeting-hezbollah/ EXCLUSIVE: Gen. McMaster Sparked a Row With the Israeli Delegation at a White House Meeting on Hezbollah]. ''PJ Media''. Retrieved September 17, 2017.</ref><ref>Schachtel, Jordan (May 15, 2017). [https://www.conservativereview.com/articles/nsc-official-blames-netanyahu-for-inciting-palestinian-terror NSC official blames Netanyahu for ‘inciting’ Palestinian terror]. ''Conservative Review''. Retrieved September 17, 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> McMaster either also kept Obama holdovers or hired liberal, globalist, and [[anti-Trump]] members to the NSC.<ref name="Steinberg2017">Steinberg, David (September 12, 2017). [https://pjmedia.com/davidsteinberg/exclusive-gen-mcmaster-sparked-row-israeli-delegation-white-house-meeting-hezbollah/ EXCLUSIVE: Gen. McMaster Sparked a Row With the Israeli Delegation at a White House Meeting on Hezbollah]. ''PJ Media''. Retrieved September 17, 2017.</ref><ref>Schachtel, Jordan (May 15, 2017). [https://www.conservativereview.com/articles/nsc-official-blames-netanyahu-for-inciting-palestinian-terror NSC official blames Netanyahu for ‘inciting’ Palestinian terror]. ''Conservative Review''. Retrieved September 17, 2017.</ref><ref name="Newman2017">Newman, Alex (August 4, 2017). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/26626-globalist-mcmaster-purges-trump-loyalists-protects-obamaites Globalist McMaster Purges Trump Loyalists, Protects Obamaites]. ''The New American''. Retrieved December 21, 2017.</ref> At the same time, McMaster fired several pro-Trump NSC appointees,<ref name="Newman2017"/><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> |
| | McMaster likely influenced President Trump to stop calling [[Islamic terrorism]] what it is.<ref>Riehl, Dan (September 13, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/radio/2017/09/13/gaffney-blames-h-r-mcmaster-for-trump-not-calling-out-radical-islamic-terrorism-by-name/ Gaffney Blames H. R. McMaster for Trump Not Calling out ‘Radical Islamic Terrorism’ by Name]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 13, 2017.</ref> He also reportedly was not friendly towards Israel with regard to policy.<ref name="Steinberg2017"/> McMaster unsuccessfully urged Trump to refrain from verbally attacking the Communist totalitarian dictator of [[North Korean]], [[Kim Jong-un]].<ref name="Chuckled">Wong, Kristina (September 26, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/26/report-mcmaster-chuckled-dismissively-trumps-north-korea-tweets/ Report: McMaster ‘Chuckled Dismissively’ About Trump’s North Korea Tweets]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 26, 2017.</ref> | | McMaster likely influenced President Trump to stop calling [[Islamic terrorism]] what it is.<ref>Riehl, Dan (September 13, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/radio/2017/09/13/gaffney-blames-h-r-mcmaster-for-trump-not-calling-out-radical-islamic-terrorism-by-name/ Gaffney Blames H. R. McMaster for Trump Not Calling out ‘Radical Islamic Terrorism’ by Name]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 13, 2017.</ref> He also reportedly was not friendly towards Israel with regard to policy.<ref name="Steinberg2017"/> McMaster unsuccessfully urged Trump to refrain from verbally attacking the Communist totalitarian dictator of [[North Korean]], [[Kim Jong-un]].<ref name="Chuckled">Wong, Kristina (September 26, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/26/report-mcmaster-chuckled-dismissively-trumps-north-korea-tweets/ Report: McMaster ‘Chuckled Dismissively’ About Trump’s North Korea Tweets]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 26, 2017.</ref> |