More White House Changes?

In the latest shake-up in the Trump administration, there is speculation that the president may be planning a major leadership change in the State Department. At the same time, a former Trump-appointed cabinet member admitted last week to illegal activity involving Russia.

Tillerson Out, Pompeo In?

Several sources close to the White House said last week that President Trump was planning to fire Secretary of State Rex Tillerson within the next few months and replace him with CIA director Mike Pompeo. Tillerson has been on thin ice ever since the news reported that he and the president disagreed on the correct diplomatic direction to take in the State Department. Tillerson has also been criticized for resisting Trump’s policy positions and for cutting staff positions at the State Department. At the same time, however, others argue that Tillerson has been a stabilizing force in Trump’s administration, and say that Tillerson is needed in the State Department now more than ever as tensions continue to escalate between the U.S. and North Korea.

At the same time that Trump’s relationship with Tillerson has deteriorated, the president’s ties with CIA director Mike Pompeo have only improved. Pompeo delivers intelligence briefings to the White House several times per week, and it’s common for the president to ask Pompeo to remain behind after these briefings to continue talking one-on-one. Sources close to Pompeo say that he would eagerly take on the job of Secretary of State if given the opportunity.

If Pompeo leaves the CIA, he will most likely be replaced by Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, a conservative Republican who is known to be much more in line with Trump’s way of thinking. Tillerson, if he leaves at the end of the year as is rumored, would have had the shortest tenure of any Secretary of State in history. However, at the moment, both Tillerson and Trump continue to deny that such a change will be taking place.

Flynn Pleads Guilty

Another of Trump’s former cabinet members, Retired General Michael Flynn, pleaded guilty last Friday to lying to the FBI. Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser, admitted that he had lied about conversations he’d had with Russian ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak during Trump’s campaign for the presidency in 2016. While Flynn did not specifically say that he was following orders from Trump, he did admit that he was obeying senior officials in Trump’s transition team. Authorities suspect that Flynn is probably referring to Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Up until now, the White House has separated itself from Flynn, claiming that Flynn acted without White House authority and kept them in the dark about his conversations with Russia. With Flynn’s latest admission, however, it seems like this might not have been the case.

Related Links–

1. Read the Election Central story written when Michael Flynn resigned from the Trump administration.
2. Also check out the latest Election Central post on the Russia election investigation.

Flynn has agreed to cooperate fully with prosecutors, though he denies that his actions constitute treason. So far, along with Flynn, Trump’s former campaign chairman and two other campaign aides have all been charged with felonies.

What Do You Think? The current White House administration has been referred to as a “revolving door” of officials being appointed and then being quickly fired or quitting. Does this give you more or less confidence in Trump’s presidency? Explain your position.