https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...-to-restrain-trump/ar-BBJRdyq?ocid=spartandhp
Officials say the two senior Cabinet officers have delayed responding to requests for options on a wide range of policy goals, including leading the Iran nuclear deal, reacting to missile strikes into Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed rebels in Yemen, pressuring longtime ally Pakistan by cutting U.S. military aid, and possible limited airstrikes on North Korea's nuclear infrastructure.
Trump is said to blame Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, bristling when his national security adviser has not presented the options he sought, or as quickly as he demanded them. That has given rise to multiple reports that McMaster could resign or be forced out in coming weeks, and added to the portrait of a White House in perpetual turmoil.
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But when he walks into the Oval Office, McMaster is often caught in a carefully orchestrated manipulation by Mattis and Tillerson to slow the delivery of options they don't want the president to take, according to two current White House officials and one former official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
"They are going to hide the ball from the president to keep him from doing stupid (stuff), there's no doubt about it," said another former official, a national security expert who served in the Trump administration transition who also spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Officials say the two senior Cabinet officers have delayed responding to requests for options on a wide range of policy goals, including leading the Iran nuclear deal, reacting to missile strikes into Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed rebels in Yemen, pressuring longtime ally Pakistan by cutting U.S. military aid, and possible limited airstrikes on North Korea's nuclear infrastructure.
Trump is said to blame Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, bristling when his national security adviser has not presented the options he sought, or as quickly as he demanded them. That has given rise to multiple reports that McMaster could resign or be forced out in coming weeks, and added to the portrait of a White House in perpetual turmoil.
.......
But when he walks into the Oval Office, McMaster is often caught in a carefully orchestrated manipulation by Mattis and Tillerson to slow the delivery of options they don't want the president to take, according to two current White House officials and one former official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
"They are going to hide the ball from the president to keep him from doing stupid (stuff), there's no doubt about it," said another former official, a national security expert who served in the Trump administration transition who also spoke on the condition of anonymity.
