It looks like Trump’s pick to replace Mike Flynn is not going as he had hoped. It was reporter earlier that Trump had offered the job to Vice Admiral Robert Harward, but according to the Financial Times, he’s turned down the job:
FT: Vice Admiral Harward, Trump's choice to replace Mike Flynn as national security adviser, turned him down https://t.co/zC7u5nSiVi
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) February 16, 2017
JUST IN: Trump's choice for national security adviser, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, has turned down the offer – report
— Reuters Politics (@ReutersPolitics) February 16, 2017
Whoa —-> FT reports that Robert Harward was offered national security adviser job by Trump — and turned it down https://t.co/toZtpAsx0v
— David S. Joachim (@davidjoachim) February 16, 2017
Robert Harward has turned down Trump’s national security offer, per @FT https://t.co/s7a6gZKgpA pic.twitter.com/GBZTJzLQJg
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) February 16, 2017
From @MajorCBS: Harward turned down NSC post in a dispute over staffing security council. Harward demanded own team & WH resisted.
— Robert Gifford (@giff18) February 16, 2017
The Financial Times is reporting that Trump is trying to convince Harward to change his mind, and has called him back to the White House to do so.
They also report that others familiar with the situation say that Harward’s concerns lie in him being able to appoint his own team underneath him. He’s worried that Trump staffers won’t allow him to do that.
If Trump can’t convince him to take the position, then it’s probably a good thing he didn’t give his name at the press conference today.