Susan Rice will be replacing Tom Donilon as President Obama’s national security adviser, the White House will confirm today.
Susan Rice has served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and was floated to replace exiting Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, but the Benghazi hearings and Republican opposition led to the appointment of John Kerry to the position vacated by Clinton.
In an email today, a White House official confirmed Susan Rice’s appointment to the position, saying to the media :
“This afternoon in the Rose Garden, the President will announce that after more than 4 years at the National Security Council, Tom Donilon will be departing as National Security Advisor in early July and will be succeeded by Ambassador Susan Rice.”
The email continues:
“The President will also announce that he will nominate Samantha Power to succeed Ambassador Rice as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.”
The Guardian reports that the change will occur in July, after certain diplomatic initiatives are completed, and notes that the official spoke anonymously as the change has yet to be officially announced:
“The White House official said Donilon was expected to stay on the job until early July, after Obama returns from two overseas trips and a summit this week with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping … The official insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the personnel changes before they were publicly announced.”
Over on Twitter, the news of Susan Rice’s appointment garnered predictable derision from conservative users, who suggest the UN ambassador’s role in the Benghazi controversy should be a factor:
Susan Rice becoming the new National Security Advisor shows how seriously he takes Benghazi. It’s a slap in the face of the families.
— Lee Stranahan (@Stranahan) June 5, 2013
What?! Susan Rice — who LIED about 4 dead Americans in #Benghazi — as National Security Advisor? She should be jailed! #RedNationRising
— Red Nation Rising (@NObamaChat) June 5, 2013
Obama’s arrogance knows no bounds, as his appointment of dolt Susan Riceto Nat’l Security Advisor proves (as if more proof were needed).
— Auntie Obama (@AuntieObama) June 5, 2013
Susan Rice does not need Senate confirmation to ascend to the role.