C-12-4 Trump mulls national security adviser pick, White House promises autonomy

Trump met with four finalists for the position of national security adviser on Sunday and may meet with them again on Monday. Among those Trump interviewed acting adviser Keith Kellogg, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster and Lieutenant General Robert Caslen. White House officials made clear on Sunday that the new adviser would have autonomy over staffing decisions, an issue that has been reported to have thwarted some other candidates. Trump's original pick to fill Flynn's vacancy, Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned it down claiming family and financial issues. Another potential pick, David Petraeus, a retired general and former CIA chief who resigned in 2012, was cut from the president's list. The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require Senate confirmation. The role has varied between administrations, but all advisers attend National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, Department of Defense and key security agencies. 

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-security-idUSKBN15Y0RH