Politico: McMaster Firing Rips Plan to Announce Multiple Exits

President Donald Trump's choice to suddenly dismiss national security adviser H.R. McMaster came as a surprise to senior aides who were planning to announce multiple departures of top administration officials, Politico reports.

White House aides, including Chief of Staff John Kelly, had been waiting on inspector general reports, thinking that they would give them cause to dismiss Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Veteran Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, both of whom have come under harsh scrutiny for their lavish expenses and handling of their departments.

The group also was considering ousting multiple senior White House aides, including McMaster, with the hope that if all the officials left at once then it would be easier to manage the optics.

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