Melania Never Met Nat'l Secretary Aide She Publicly Bashed, Ousted

[DonViejo]

By Nicole Lafond
November 15, 2018 7:57 am

Despite issuing a scathing statement of disapproval and effectively ousting Mira Ricardel — a deputy national security adviser — first lady Melania Trump never met her, but was in talks with Chief of Staff John Kelly about her departure for some time, The Washington Post reported.

According to two people familiar with both parties who spoke to the Post, the first lady saw Ricardel as a “toxic influence” in the West Wing — in the Post’s words — and she even spoke with her husband about Ricardel’s behavior during her trip to Africa last month. Trump also gave aides permission to spread whispers about Ricardel’s overstepping, several people familiar with the matter told the Post.

Trump was convinced that Ricardel was spreading false information about her office and planting negative stories in the media about her stay in Egypt. The first lady’s office made several requests to National Security Adviser John Bolton to get rid of the aide, but Bolton refused, according to the Post.

Trump took matters into her own hands this week by releasing a public statement calling for Ricardel’s ouster. By Wednesday evening, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Ricardel had been assigned to a different position within the administration.

While Kelly supported efforts to remove the national security aide from the White House, he reportedly thought her departure was not handled well.

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https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/melania-never-met-ricardel

[EleanorR]

1. Ricardel must have been the grownup in the room

She probably tried to suggest spending $95,000 in one day at a hotel wasn't a good idea.

[Zoonart]

2. Hmmmmm.... morre insecurity at Nat. Sec....

Wonder who that would benefit?

[duforsure]

3. Which really means

After becoming exposed for grifting the American people with her trip to Africa she lashed out at her for revenge. Just like trump does to others.

[Sherman A1]

4. Bingo!

We have a winner.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

6. What was it? A huge astronomical hotel bill? Right?

[Generic Other]

9. Melania Trump Spent Almost $100,000 at a Hotel She Never Slept In

It’s unclear how the First Lady and her staff racked up the bill at the hotel, where rooms start at $119 and go up to $699 for the presidential suite. But it’s a suitable price tag for a trip that had a distinctly colonialist vibe, from Trump’s pith helmet to the very fact that the First Lady was visiting countries her husband had referred to as “shitholes.”

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/11/melania-trump-cairo-hotel-bill

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. Wild. That was the most damaging part of trip..bet you that aide had something to do with it.

[NurseJackie]

5. The various references to "Trump" are confusing and required very careful reading...

The various references to "Trump" are confusing and required very careful (re)reading to make certain which Trump was the subject of the sentence and that the writer was still talking about Melanie. Although it may be technically accurate as-is, it would have been more readable if the writer had taken a moment to specify "Melania Trump" or "Mrs. Trump" or "The First Lady".

Trump also gave aides permission to spread whispers about Ricardel’s overstepping, several people familiar with the matter told the Post.

Don or Melanie?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. Agree. I do like what someone called her the other day "Worst Lady"

[NurseJackie]

8. That's so true!

[FSogol]

10. LOL, I am totally stealing that. Worst Lady!

[Hotler]

11. I want to know who ....

called who a bitch.

[Maeve]

13. The answer is probably 'both' eom