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Trump Suggests Firing Military Chief In Afghanistan Because He Thinks US Is Losing: NBC reports that in a tense meeting last month, President Trump told military leaders that the US was losing the war in Afghanistan, and that Defense Secretary James Mattis should replace General John Nicholson, who is leading the military effort there. Trump has not met with Nicholson.
Trump also inquired about getting a stake in Afghanistan's natural resources. Last week, The New York Times
reported the President Trump has discussed the possibility of staying in Afghanistan for the mineral deposits with Afghanistan's president.
During the conversation, Trump used a famous New York restaurant to illustrate his belief that highly-paid, high-ranking consultants often produce bad ideas. He cited the 21 Club, which closed two months after a renovation based on advice from consultants. The story was apparently meant to disparage the advice of officials like General John Nicholson.
White House Purging Michael Flynn Appointees From National Security Council: The White House is
slowly purging Michael Flynn's appointees to the NSC, angering conservative critics who believe the foreign policy community is taking over once again. Most recently the NSC's intelligence chief Ezra Cohen-Watnick was pushed out after a lengthy battle between NSC chief H.R. McMaster and Steve Bannon. Cohen-Watnick controversially briefed Representative Devin Nunes on incidental surveillance of the Trump transition team.
Four other staffers were also pushed out after expressing controversial ideas, such as former director of strategic planning Rich Higgins, who was fired after issuing a memo on the "deep state."
