US First Lady Melania Trump wants White House aide fired
Washington, November 14
US First Lady Melania Trump has called for a top national security aide to President Donald Trump to be fired, media reports said.
“It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security adviser, no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House,” her spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
The first lady feuded with Ricardel, during her tour of Africa in October, the US media said.
The White House and the National Security Council were yet to comment.
Presidential spouses do have a long history of involving themselves in White House staffing issues.
Nancy Reagan, for instance, had an ongoing feud with Chief of Staff Donald Regan. Hillary Clinton frequently sparred with White House aides.
It’s the kind of thing that never spills quite so openly into view, however, this time around its different.
The office of First Lady decided to attack the White House staff member on the record and in no uncertain terms, the BBC reported.
The statement came as the US media reported that President Donald Trump was considering a shake up in the White House West Wing, and might consider removing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly or Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.
As deputy national security adviser, Ricardel has served under National Security Advisor John Bolton on the National Security Council for the past seven months.
According to the US media reports, Trump and Ricardel fell out during the former’s trip to Africa and quarrelled over seating arrangements on the plane.
Melania Trump told ABC in a rare interview that there are people in the White House that she does not trust.
She said she gives the President her “honest advice and honest opinions and then he does what he wants to do”.
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