National security adviser Gen. H.R. McMaster has appointed intelligence community veteran Mike Barry to head intelligence programs on the National Security Council, Axios reported Friday.
Barry replaces Ezra Cohen-Watnick, who was appointed by Gen. Mike Flynn and gained notoriety for reportedly surviving a fallout with McMaster in March — and being saved because of the backing of both former chief strategist Stephen Bannon and senior adviser and President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Mike Cernovich, a controversial politics blogger and one of McMaster's online critics, both predicted — and slammed — the appointment in a tweet Sept. 6, Axios noted.
According to Axios, which cited an unnamed source, Barry — who served in the Air Force before his work in the intelligence community — was recommended for the position by CIA Director Mike Pompeo.
Barry and McMaster hit it off in part "because they'd worked in similar environments," the source told Axios.
As special assistant to President Donald Trump for intelligence programs, Barry will be key to the functioning of the national security team – and responsible for aligning the intelligence community's policy with the president's priorities, Axios reported. He'll also manage covert action, the outlet reported.
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