Washington: In an extraordinary move, US first lady Melania Trump has called publicly for the deputy national security adviser to be dismissed.
After reports circulated on Tuesday that President Donald Trump had decided to remove Mira Ricardel from her post at the National Security Council, Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's spokeswoman, released a statement that said: "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House."
Melania Trump on her African tour.Credit:AP
Shortly before the statement was issued, Ricardel was among a group of administration officials and other individuals who stood behind the President at a White House ceremony celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the first lady's staff and Ricardel had clashed during Melania Trump's visit to Africa in October over such things as seating on the plane and requests to use the council's resources.
A White House official told The Associated Press that Ricardel wanted to travel to Africa with the first lady but was denied seating on the plane because there was no room for her and several others who initially expected to make the trip.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss White House personnel matters, said Ricardel then threatened not to send any National Security Council staff.
Mira Ricardel with Donald Trump at the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Tuesday. Credit:AP
Ricardel is also known to have clashed with Defence Secretary Jim Mattis over Pentagon political appointee choices since early in his tenure.
And Pentagon officials have said privately they believe Ricardel had a hand in spreading rumours this year about Mattis falling from favour with the White House and perhaps departing.
Asked by a reporter about the first lady's office saying Ricardel no longer deserved to work in the White House, Mattis said, "I don't comment on other people's staffing issues."
A spokesman for the National Security Council had no immediate comment.
Melania Trump is very protective of her husband and is considered to be an influential adviser, as many first ladies have been with their spouses.
She is also one of the most private first ladies in recent memory, which made the public announcement about her displeasure with a top West Wing official all the more surprising.
In an interview with ABC News during the five-day trip to Ghana, Mali, Kenya and Egypt last month, the first lady said there were people in the White House whom she and the President could not trust. She declined to name anyone but said she had let the President know who they are.
"Well," she said, "some people, they don't work there any more."
Asked if some untrustworthy people still worked in the White House, she replied, "Yes."
Anita McBride, who was chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush, said there was a lesson in the current first lady's public pronouncement.
"The President supports Mrs Trump's activities and her work, which should be the signal to the rest of the staff to support her, too," McBride, who has worked for three Republican presidents, said via email.
AP
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