Trump Announces His Fourth National Security Advisor, Replacing Recently Departed John Bolton

If one were to compare Trump cabinet members to members of the satirical 80’s metal band Spinal Tap, the National Security Advisor would definitely be the drummer. The Spinal Tap gag is that their drummer was always being replaced due to strange and unfortunate circumstances.

It’s an apt pop culture reference on the day that President Donald Trump announced via Twitter that Robert C. O’Brien would be replacing recently ousted John Bolton as National Security Advisor. If confirmed, O’Brien would become the fourth individual to serve in this role, following Michael Flynn, H.R. McMaster, and Bolton. Trump tweeted:

I am pleased to announce that I will name Robert C. O’Brien, currently serving as the very successful Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the State Department, as our new National Security Advisor. I have worked long & hard with Robert. He will do a great job!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 18, 2019

O’Brien’s name might be a familiar name for those who followed the Trump administration’s attempt to extricate A$AP Rocky from Sweden after the rapper was imprisoned for a fight there.

O’Brien worked under the George W. Bush administration and advised the political campaigns of both Mitt Romney and Scott Walker.

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