The East and West Wings of the White House went to war on Tuesday over an aide to the president that the first lady's office wants to oust.
Melania Trump took the extraordinary step of making a public call for the president to fire Deputy National Security Advisora Mira Ricardel - one of the highest-ranking women in the White House - after clashes over seating assignments on the first lady's plane ride to Africa and requests for assistance from the National Security Council.
A top aide to National Security Advisor John Bolton, Ricardel is also a suspected leaker, sources told The Wall Street Journal.
Ricardel was reportedly on her way out over the dust-up until the West Wing intervened, defending her to DailyMail.com and pushing back on a false claim that she had been escorted off the premises.
'This did not happen. She is still here at the WH,' a senior official said in an afternoon email.
First Lady Melania Trump took the extraordinary step of making a public call for the president to fire one of his national security advisors
'It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House,' said spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham.
A second high-ranking source claimed as the battle continued, 'She is not a leaker.'
That official also claimed that Melania has never even met Ricardel, insinuating that the dispute is being driven entirely by White House staff.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that the first lady's office was out for blood in the melee.
It incorrectly reported that she had been escorted out of the building later on Tuesday.
But a senior White House official told DailyMail.com the claim was inaccurate, and the outlet had to back track, with the author of the report explaining in a tweet that Ricardel is expected to be fired but was still at her desk.
Melania's office declined to go into detail on the record but bluntly told ABC News that it wanted Ricardel gone.
The first lady's office was out for blood after Mira Ricardel argued with the first lady's office about seating assignments on Melania's plane ride to Africa and assistance from the National Security Council
'It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House,' said spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham.
A West Wing official slapped back, telling CNBC in response: 'The East Wing speaks for the East Wing.'
The person couldn't say whether Ricardel would still be on the job the next day, but affirmed that she still works at the White House.
She had been seen standing near Trump at a Diwali ceremony earlier in the day in the Roosevelt Room.
Melania was meanwhile tweeting about her 'Be Best' campaign and how for 'World Kindness Day' she'd surprised tourists at the White House in a twist of irony following the public knifing of Ricardel.
The dispute with Ricardel had initially been overlooked in a major report of the day that led with claims that the president was about to fire White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen was also said to be on her way out.
Trump was reportedly planning to fire both officials in a major post-election shakeup of his administration.
At least four news outlets reported in the past 24 hours that the current and former heads of Homeland Security are on the chopping block.
Trump wants a more aggressive approach to border control. A White House aide said when Nielsen was appointed, the president made the move on the recommendation of Kelly, her longtime mentor.
But the president believes the Kelly protégé hasn't measured up, that same official said Tuesday.
NBC News also reported that Kelly will be pushed out because of his clashes with first lady Melania Trump's office, what's known as the East Wing, and with National Security Adviser John Bolton.
'There have been instances where the East Wing staff were not treated as equals to the male-dominated decision makers in chief Kelly’s office,' one White House official told NBC. 'Promotions were denied then finally granted after months of requests.'
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly could be fired soon over his management style and clashes he's had with National Security Advisor John Bolton and members of first lady Melania Trump's staff
Homeland Security Secretar Kirstjen Nielsen, a Kelly protégé, has already found her head on the chopping block since President Trump reportedly wants a more aggressive approach to U.S. border security
The president was expected to engage in a cabinet shuffle or start a period of senior staff turnover after the midterm elections
It's unclear when Nielsen and Kelly might leave the administration.
Trump is reportedly considering replacing Kelly with Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, Nick Ayers, according to ABC News. Just last month Ayers denied the claim during an Oval Office encounter with a reporter in the presence of Trump and Kelly.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on new claims that Kelly is on his way out.
Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, has sought to bring more stability to the White House operation under the unpredictable Trump. During his time as chief of staff, he and the president have had a rocky relationship, according to various news reports and Bob Woodward's best-selling book 'Fear: Trump in the White House.'
Trump has sought to toughen immigration policies and has been reportedly unhappy with Nielsen's efforts to tighten the border.
The president has vowed to begin cutting millions of dollars in aid to Central America over a caravan of thousands of mostly Honduran migrants who say they are fleeing violence and poverty at home. He has called the caravan, which is currently in Mexico, a national emergency and an 'invasion' that has to be stopped.
Last week the U.S. military said over 7,000 troops would go to the border with Mexico.
Kelly has reportedly infuriated first lady Melania Trump because he slow-dragged promotions for her top aides
Nielsen (pictured in San Diego during a March tour of border wall prototypes) reportedly has not been enjoying her job
Kelly, Nielsen's mentor, has been fighting to keep her (pictured together October 2017) after pushing for her to get the Homeland security role
Earlier this year the Trump administration tried to deter illegal immigrant families from traveling to the border by instituting a 'zero tolerance' policy, resulting in the separation of thousands of children from their parents as the adults were prosecuted.
Trump is said to have told advisers that he plans to get rid of Nielsen as the anniversary of her 2017 appointment approaches.
The news came after he canceled their trip to visit troops at the border in South Texas.
Trump wants someone with a more aggressive attitude to curtailing immigration but with no deputy secretary since April, Nielsen's responsibilities could land in Claire Grady's lap.
If not the undersecretary for management, Trump is reportedly considering Kevin McAleenan, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and David Pekoske.
Nielsen delivered an enthusiastic speech at the opening of his wall in Calexico, California recently. She also defended Trump's decision to separate families at the border
Both have been confirmed by the Senate and Pekoske is the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration and used to be a vice commandant of the Coast Guard.
The Post also reports Kris Kobach, who lost out on the Kansas governor role, could be nominated however the secretary of state may be considered too extreme for Senate approval. Trump suggested last week that he could give him and other mid-term losers jobs in the administration.
After the position was created in 2003 following the September 11 terrorist attacks and George W. Bush had two over six years during his terms.
Barack Obama had two across his eight years as president and Trump is already on his second as he nears just two years in the job of POTUS.
'If I were advising the White House, I'd encourage them to nominate someone with executive branch experience,' an anonymous senior DHS official said. 'This will be our fourth secretary in two years. The last thing we want is someone who needs hand-holding.'
Nielsen is pictured as she takes the Oath of Office as the Sixth Secretary of Homeland Security in December 2017, joined by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly (center) and Executive Clerk of the White House David Kalbaugh
A source claimed Nielsen – who used to work on disaster management response for the White House under Bush – is referred to as a 'Bushie' by Trump.
He reportedly claims she's too loyal to the former president despite her defending Trump's stance on separating families at the border. He then ended the operation days later.
Nielsen also delivered an enthusiastic speech at the opening of his wall in Calexico, California recently.
Still, Trump is said to have blamed her for a rebound in the number of people arrested at the Mexican border this year.
Insiders claim that Trump berating her in Cabinet meetings and belittling her to staff has made Nielsen want to quit the role but Madame Secretary is reluctant to before having done a year.
Claire Grady (right), Acting Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security, could be left with Nielsen's responsibilities
US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan (left) could be in the running for the role as could David P. Pekoske (right), administrator of the Transportation Security Administration
Trump with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (left) at the White House in July 2017. He could be considering Kobach as Nielsen's replacement
The Post reports that while she feels that way Chief of Staff John F. Kelly has been fighting to keep her.
He supposedly wants to delay the removal of Nielsen, White House colleagues have become annoyed at his constant and possibly unjustified praising of her despite her lack of experience in the field.
Kelly pushed for her to be confirmed in the role and three aides added that his own job hangs in the balance.
A DHS spokesperson declined to comment on the speculation the The Post.
Trump's administration has been marked by its unusually high turn over of high ranking officials with at least 55 leaving their roles since the inauguration.
At least 18 of those were publicly fired, including the most recent firing of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Link hienalouca.comhttps://hienalouca.com/2018/11/14/white-house-defends-deputy-national-security-advisor-in-all-out-brawl-with-the-first-ladys-office/
Main photo article The East and West Wings of the White House went to war on Tuesday over an aide to the president that the first lady’s office wants to oust.
Melania Trump took the extraordinary step of making a public call for the president to fire Deputy National Security Advisora Mira Ricardel –...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/11/13/21/6144680-6386081-image-a-65_1542142881567.jpg
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