Changes

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>

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 used his first NSC meetings to tell his staff not to use the term "radical Islamic terrorism,"<ref>Ackerman, Spencer (February 25, 2017). [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/25/hr-mcmaster-national-security-radical-islamic-terrorism-trump Trump national security adviser wants to avoid term 'radical Islamic terrorism', sources say]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved March 23, 2018.</ref> and he 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 and his NSC allies worked to undermine President Trump and his America First policies. This is illustrated by the administration's 2017 National Security Strategy, which replaced Trump's America First philosophy with a more conventional globalist agenda in several areas and was praised by globalist [[Council on Foreign Relations]] members.<ref>Jasper, William F. (December 29, 2017). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/27832-deep-state-boasts-we-re-sabotaging-trump-from-the-inside Deep State Boasts: We’re Sabotaging Trump From the Inside]. ''The New American''. Retrieved December 29, 2017.</ref><ref name="Mcabal">Jasper, William F. (January 2, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/27851-the-mcmaster-cabal-lead-operatives-in-the-deep-state-coup-effort-to-oust-trump The McMaster Cabal: Lead Operatives in the Deep State Coup Effort to Oust Trump]. ''The New American''. Retrieved January 3, 2018.</ref> McMaster's purging of conservatives from the NSC also served to unermine Trump's policies.<ref name="Mcabal"/>

McMaster and his NSC allies worked to undermine President Trump and his America First policies. This is illustrated by the administration's 2017 National Security Strategy, which replaced Trump's America First philosophy with a more conventional globalist agenda in several areas and was praised by globalist [[Council on Foreign Relations]] members.<ref>Jasper, William F. (December 29, 2017). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/27832-deep-state-boasts-we-re-sabotaging-trump-from-the-inside Deep State Boasts: We’re Sabotaging Trump From the Inside]. ''The New American''. Retrieved December 29, 2017.</ref><ref name="Mcabal">Jasper, William F. (January 2, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/27851-the-mcmaster-cabal-lead-operatives-in-the-deep-state-coup-effort-to-oust-trump The McMaster Cabal: Lead Operatives in the Deep State Coup Effort to Oust Trump]. ''The New American''. Retrieved January 3, 2018.</ref> McMaster's purging of conservatives from the NSC also served to unermine Trump's policies.<ref name="Mcabal"/>