Didn't see it posted... Bannon ousted from National Security Council The Trump administration initially faced a bipartisan wave of complaints over a political official serving in a national security role. By Shane Goldmacher, Josh Dawsey, Tara Palmeri and Bryan Bender 04/05/17 11:54 AM EDT Updated 04/05/17 12:26 PM EDT White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has been removed from a powerful seat on the National Security Council — a posting that had stirred controversy for placing one of Trump’s top political hands in a key national security position. The change represents the first real diminution of authority for Bannon, who has been cast as an all-powerful whisperer to Trump in the administration’s first 75 days, mocked by his critics as “President Bannon.” In recent weeks, Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, has asked searching questions – sometimes for hours – of inside and outside advisers about the White House's performance and complained about Bannon in particular, according to people who have spoken with Kushner. Kushner, a onetime New York Democrat, and Bannon, a hard-right nationalist, have clashed as Kushner has told people that Bannon’s desire to deconstruct the government, is hurting the president. One person familiar with Kushner's thinking says Kushner believes Bannon is more of a problem than Reince Priebus, the chief of staff. “Big fight is between nationalists and the ‘West Wing Democrats,” one senior administration official said. [rest of the article at the link]
Kushner is a noted funder and proponent of Israel settlement expansion so I would suppose he is a neo-con of sort. Bannon is noted to be a white nationalist who I assume is also anti-Semitic and might not be in favor of continuing wars in the Middle East and prefer to keep our money at home. Neither is particularly attractive from a foreign or other policy point of view.
I'm thinking there may be more to come and this is the first ham-handed step to minimizing the imploding shitstorm to follow.
And oh good, Governor Good Hair to the rescue. You can't make this stuff up. Let's think of what Rick Perry knows almost nothing about: nuclear weapons and national security. Let's give him a leading role in one and a top seat at the table for the other. Too hilarious.
Yes, I was going to applaud the Trump team for correcting their initial mistake of having Bannon there in the first place. But then having the Sec. of Energy take his place isn't worthy of applause.
YOu know it was comign though - Trump is a reality show star, having a soap opera presidency of shifting alliances is basically the premise of every reality show ever - who better to step up for a turn than former Cha-cha dancing reality show star, Rick Perry? Mark my words, there is a 75% chance Omarosa will move over from her current Communications Director of Office of Public Liaison job to either Spicer's job, or, even worse, a policy job by 2020.
I don't have a problem with the "Secretary of Energy" being on the NSC. I think that's the way it's supposed to be. I do have a problem with Mr. Goodhair being the Sec. of Energy.
In the early days Trump didn't have a cabinet confirmed, but he had advisors that didn't have to go through the Senate process who could plug in in the mean time. I don't know if this is really an "ousting" or it's just a shift from a band-aid solution to normal governance. McMaster is in, Perry is in, etc, so they can build the NSC the regular way instead of having non-Cabinet advisors. Maybe Bannon is getting sidelined, but I also can see that perhaps he's doing just fine and people are making too much of this news.
