Trump Names Super Hawk as Acting National Security Adviser

Charles Kupperman

So much for all the excitement about President Trump firing war hawk John Bolton.

As Chris Rossini said to me in a phone conversation after the firing, "Trump surprises always come from the negative side."


And Trump has outdone himself on the negative side with his naming of Charles Kupperman as acting National Security Adviser. Kupperman is not only a defense sector crony, he is a hardcore war hawk.

Kupperman has held senior positions at defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

According to Business Insider, he is also a longtime adviser to Bolton and reportedly aligns with Bolton's hawkish orientation towards foreign policy and intervention.

When he was named a deputy assistant to Bolton at NSA, in a White House press release Bolton was quoted as saying that Kupperman "has been an advisor to me for more than 30 years."

Kupperman served on the board of directors for the extreme anti-Muslim group, Center for Security Policy, between 2001 and 2010

"Once again this is an example of Trump elevating foxes into the hen house, where Islamophobes are well placed to direct our nation's national security priorities," Robert McCaw, director of government affairs at The Council for American Islamic Relations, told Al Jazeera at the time Kupperman was named Bolton's deputy.

 -RW