The Morning Briefing: McMaster Whiplash, Bridge Collapse and Much, Much More

Good Friday morning.

Here is what’s on the president’s agenda today:

President Trump receives his intelligence briefing
The president has lunch with Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen

In, out, in, out

Reports hit last night that National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster was out of a job.

Five people “with knowledge” told the Washington Post so. No word on the timeline for his departure, but there has been talk of this happening for a while, so I’m not sure why this was a big story last night, but it was. The WH released a statement in response to the WaPo report:

Just spoke to @POTUS and Gen. H.R. McMaster – contrary to reports they have a good working relationship and there are no changes at the NSC.

— Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) March 16, 2018

Word is that former Ambassador John Bolton will replace him, but I think Trump likes to surprise the media, so it may be someone else entirely. Stay tuned.

Florida bridge collapse update

A Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapsed yesterday killing at least 6 people and injuring at least 9.

Senator Marco Rubio, who visited the site Thursday, posted on Twitter: “The cables that suspend the #Miami bridge had loosened & the engineering firm ordered that they be tightened. They were being tightened when it collapsed today.” Rubio has been a visiting professor at the university for the past 10 years.

The bridge’s main span, which weighs 950 ton, had just been installed Saturday over eight lanes, near the university in Miami.

CNN has some interesting details about the bridge. The Miami-Dade police just held a press conference (around 5:30 a.m. ET) and will hold another one later this morning. What a tragedy.

Developing…

Anatomy of a deep state hit job

Here’s the Politico “story,” but the shorter version is: a government bureaucrat/Obama holdover was at odds with Trump’s foreign policy and moved out of her position last year. Now, emails were leaked to the press showing that Trump people wanted to move her out of her particular position, an action entirely within the purview and authority of her superiors. Currently, the person in question has a fellowship at Harvard where she is writing anti-Trump foreign policy papers while STILL ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT PAYROLL.

OK kids dig this

House Dems angry that Trump officials pushed aside Sahar Nowrouzzadeh, an Obama-era pro-deal State Dept staffer. Politico echoed & attacked @JordanSchachtel, journalist who reported on her

Who is Nowrouzzadeh? Author of article "Trump's Dangerous Shift on Iran" pic.twitter.com/0IHiY8fCOa

— Omri Ceren (@omriceren) March 15, 2018

This is how the deep state works. Why were those emails leaked now? This is a nonstory. Personnel decisions are simply business as usual for any administration. Do you think that Obama kept people with major policy differences in their government positions after he took office? Nope.

Historical picture of the day:

Luther Campbell, leader of the hip hop group 2 Live Crew and president of its record label, points to the warning sticker on his shirt, identical to the one on the group’s controversial album “Nasty As They Wanna Be” outside federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 16, 1990. The group filed a suit trying to stop obscenity arrests for the sales of their album. (AP Photo/Beth Keiser)

Other morsels:

CBS will air Stormy Daniels ’60 Minutes’ interview: report

Twitter Hosts Women’s March Leader Despite Anti-Semitism Controversy

Democrats halt farm bill talks in the House

Navy identifies 2 aviators killed in F/A-18 jet crash off Key West

Matt Damon might be leaving the U.S. because of Trump

Mueller subpoenas Trump Organization

Heitkamp on when Hillary Clinton will leave politics: ‘Not soon enough’

Everytown sues ATF for firearm suicide data

Flake: ‘My party might not deserve to lead’

Gun Control ‘Walkout’ Mob Assaults Student Carrying Trump Flag

Teacher Put On Leave After Asking If Pro-Life Walk-Out Would Be Tolerated Too