Mira Ricardel Removed from Position After Melania Calls for Her Firing

On Tuesday, First Lady Melania Trump made it clear through spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham that she wants Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel out. “It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that (Ricardel) no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House,” the office of the First Lady said in a statement Tuesday, and come Wednesday, Ricardel was out.

According to the New York Times:

A day after Melania Trump took the extraordinary step of issuing a statement condemning Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security adviser who had made enemies throughout her tenure, Ms. Ricardel was spotted in her office on Wednesday, packing her bags.

Hours later, the White House said that Ms. Ricardel was indeed leaving her post but that she would still work in the administration — just not under the first lady’s roof.

So she’s been fired from her current position, but not from the White House entirely.

Who is Mira Ricardel anyway?

Before her reassignment, Ricardel served as the top deputy to John Bolton, President Trump’s National Security Adviser. Her responsibilities included coordinating policy between the National Security Council, State Department, and Pentagon.

Ricaradel’s conflict with Melania began during a recent trip to Africa after Ricaradel allegedly threatened to withhold National Security Council resources unless she could personally join. Ricaradel has also been accused of leaking false stories about the first lady following the Africa trip. Chief of Staff John Kelly and his deputy Zach Fuentes have also accused Ricaradel of “leaking negative stories about them” to the press.

Ricaradel was part of Trump’s presidential transition team, and helped Trump choose his presidential appointments.

Since Ricardel has been accused of leaking, it’s unclear why she’s being reassigned instead of fired outright.

Is Ricardel the New York Times anti-Trump “resistance” op-ed author?

Treat the claims with a grain of salt due to the source – but fired Trump aide and leaker Omarosa did vaguely predict that there would be a firing on Wednesday. She said it would be of the author behind the anonymous New York Times op-ed written by a “member of the resistance within the Trump administration.”

Appearing on MSNBC yesterday before Ricardel’s firing was announced, Omarosa said she has heard that the Trump administration identified the op-ed writer and has “quietly removed them from the administration.” She also said that the White House has been quiet about the whole situation because of “how high-level that person is supposed to have been.”

I’m not entirely sure I buy the speculation that Omarosa was talking about Ricardel, especially since Ricardel is apparently not removed from the administration, just her post.

Where Ricardel will be reassigned to remains a mystery.

By Matt

Matt is the co-founder of Unbiased America and a freelance writer specializing in economics and politics. He’s been published... More about Matt

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