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White House aide Mira Ricardel removed after Melania Trump row

15 Nov 2018

White House Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel has left her post, following a high-profile row with US First Lady Melania Trump. A White House spokeswoman said Ricardel "departs the White House to transition to a new role within the administration". She did not elaborate. Mrs. Trump this week said that Ricardel "no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House". The two reportedly feuded during a tour of Africa in October. The removal of Ricardel comes amid reports in US media that President Donald Trump is considering a shake-up in the White House West Wing. President Trump may be preparing to remove White House Chief of Staff John Kelly or Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, the reports say.   What about the row with Melania Trump? The announcement of the transfer of Ricardel was made in a statement by White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Wednesday. The spokeswoman added that Ricardel "will continue to support the president". According to US media reports earlier this week, Mrs. Trump and Ricardel quarrelled over seating arrangements on her plane. During her trip there, Mrs. Trump told ABC in a rare interview that there were people in the White House who she does not trust. She said she gave the president "my honest advice and honest opinions and then he does what he wants to do". The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported that Mrs. Trump's team believed Ricardel was behind some of the "negative stories" about Mrs. Trump and her staff. The newspaper also reported that she repeatedly clashed with US Secretary of Defence James Mattis over "staffing decisions and policy differences". Ricardel was hired away from the Department of Commerce by National Security Advisor John Bolton, and has decades of experience working in the US government. She had earlier worked in the defence department under former President George W Bush as well as under Republican Senator Bob Dole when he served as the Senate Majority Leader. (BBC)


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