US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he was appointing his special envoy for hostage affairs, Robert O'Brien, as the next national security adviser
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2019) US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he was appointing his special envoy for hostage affairs, Robert O'Brien, as the next national security adviser.The president wrote about his decision on his Twitter page, adding that he had "worked long and hard with Robert" and was confident that O'Brien "will do a great job."
The previous national security adviser, John Bolton, was dismissed on September 10 due to existing disagreements with the president.
The Washington Post wrote that the Trump administration considered O'Brien the safest option since the national security team wanted as little drama during the 2020 election as possible.
"His friendly demeanor contrasts with that of his predecessor Bolton, who rankled officials at the Pentagon and the State Department with his sharp-elbowed management style," the newspaper added.
The Politico news outlet noted that the new adviser "is not a big name in the intelligence and national security world." When asked about what he knows about O'Brien, Fred Fleitz, Bolton's former chief of staff, told Politico that he knew almost nothing about O'Brien except that he "seems to have pretty good credentials on paper."
O'Brien was chosen for the position because he "impressed" the president by helping secure the release of US citizens detained by countries such as North Korea and Turkey, the New York Times reported. The newspaper added that it was "unclear how his advice may differ from that of Mr. Bolton," given that O'Brien had previously worked for Bolton and quoted his "tough policies."
The New York Times believed that O'Brien's first challenge as national security adviser could be relations with Iran amid Trump's hints of possible military action as retaliation for an attack on Saudi oil infrastructure.
O'Brien is starting his tenure at a time when Trump is facing more and more foreign policy challenges, the Los Angeles Times reported. In turn, the Wall Street Journal noted that on top of helping resolve possible issues related to the attack on Saudi Arabia's oil industry, O'Brien would also have to "take a leading role on addressing the crisis in Venezuela, as well as the president's efforts to get North Korea to denuclearize."
The Hill newspaper continued in that vein, saying that the United States' many global challenges would force O'Brien into "a challenging role."
US media have made a point to note that O'Brien will be Trump's fourth national security adviser in less than three years.
The Huffington Post media outlet wrote that no other president had had so many advisers during their first term.
The Financial Times recalled that Bolton was fired by Trump last week due to "disagreements" over policies regarding Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea. Prior to Bolton, the post was held by Lt. Gen. Herbert McMaster, who served for a little over a year before resigning. Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who was fired after only 24 days into the job, was Trump's first national security adviser.
