March 22, 2018

Trump’s War Cabinet Is Taking Shape

Justin Lane/DPA via ZUMA

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A few days ago the White House said that H.R. McMaster still had the president’s full confidence. That’s a death sentence, of course, and today the axe fell. He’s out and John Bolton is in:

General McMaster will retire from the military, the officials said. He has been discussing his departure with President Trump for several weeks, they said, but decided to speed up his departure, in part because questions about his status were casting a shadow over his conversations with foreign officials.

….Mr. Bolton, who will take office April 9, has met regularly with Mr. Trump to discuss foreign policy, and was on a list of candidates for national security adviser. He was in the West Wing with Mr. Trump to discuss the job on Thursday.

Hell, even George Bush wasn’t crazy enough to let Bolton serve as his National Security Advisor. But Trump is. He wants someone who agrees that we should threaten every bad guy on earth with war, and Bolton’s that guy.

Back in 2016, rumor had it that Trump didn’t pick Bolton for a top job because he thought Bolton’s mustache looked stupid. For once, I applauded Trump’s idiocy. I’m dismayed that he managed to get over his contempt for dumb facial hair.

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We didn't know what to expect when we told you we needed to raise $400,000 before our fiscal year closed on June 30, and we're thrilled to report that our incredible community of readers contributed some $415,000 to help us keep charging as hard as we can during this crazy year.

You just sent an incredible message: that quality journalism doesn't have to answer to advertisers, billionaires, or hedge funds; that newsrooms can eke out an existence thanks primarily to the generosity of its readers. That's so powerful. Especially during what's been called a "media extinction event" when those looking to make a profit from the news pull back, the Mother Jones community steps in.

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