Donald Trump is a man who presses on regardless of any setbacks. He has just appointed Ggeneral McMaster as the national security adviser.
After it became apparent that general flynn the trusted security advisor to the president had lied to the VP Pence regarding the content of his talk with the Russian ambassador, Donald was left holding a hot potato. Survival took the better part of bravado and he asked for general Flynn's resignation.
The general must have wondered what wrong he had done, as all along he had just put into practice what Donald had preached.
It is inconceivable that Donald did not know about the telephone calls as well as the subject matter. In addition who knows that the advice to withhold the content of the conversation from the VP may have also come from Trump.
Selection
Flynn is gone and his replacement is another general. He has selected General McMaster. This was after the first choice Admiral RS Harward turned down the offer.
The general will remain on the active list and is one of the few who has had no previous connection with the president. The general is well respected in military circles and even an opponent of Donald like John McCain has tweeted
Lt Gen HR McMaster is outstanding choice for nat'l security advisor - man of genuine intellect, character & ability https://t.co/rYmJm00Xdf
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) February 20, 2017
General McMaster
General McMaster is a down to earth man who is not scared to stand up to his seniors for what he thinks is right.
Earlier in his career, he had written a critique on the senior general staff on the conduct of the Vietnam war. McMaster has also seen active service in Afghanistan and Iraq. He looks a good bet as the national security advisor. He is also highly qualified having earned a doctorate in military history from the university of North Carolina.
Future
Donald continues his reliance on senior military generals. He does have a fascination for the military, though he never served at any time. General McMaster's political affiliations are not known and he is new to Washington. He will learn the rules soon and hopefully will be an asset to the nation. McMaster starts his career in Washington with a clean slate and that is an asset. It will be interesting to watch how he interacts with Donald in future.
