The President-elect Donald Trump has been busy filling out his foreign policy and national security team. In a statement made by two transition aides, president Richard Haass is under consideration for the position of the State Department Deputy: Council on Foreign Relations.
Richard Haass has served as director of policy planning at the State Department, he also served as a senior director on the National Security Council since he served in both of Bush Administrations.
Prior to Trump’s meeting with Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, Haass met with Trump at the Trump Tower on Friday, the day before where they finalized their plans to nominate Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State.
In a statement made by Trump, he expressed his respect and love towards Haass, saying that he likes him a lot adding that he has very few people that he likes and respects. Haass is a regular presence on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, which is one of Trump’s favorite television programs.
In a statement made by Haass to NPR, he said that he has met Trump on and off golf courses adding that he’s seen Trump few times. In a private meeting with Trump, Haass briefed Trump on global issues back in 2015. However, Haass pointed out that there are a few areas where the two disagree with each other as he pointed out on free trade.
Trump kicked off building his national security team on Thursday as he added retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg as the chief of staff and executive secretary of the National Security Council and Fox News Monica Crowley as the senior director of strategic communications for the NSC, they’ll team up with the incoming national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and K.T. McFarland the principal deputy, who is the former Fox News commentator
