Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert resigned on Tuesday, the White House confirmed.
“The President is grateful for Tom’s commitment to the safety and security of our great country,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. “Tom led the White House’s efforts to protect the homeland from terrorist threats, strengthen our cyber defenses, and respond to an unprecedented series of natural disasters.”
He reportedly left his position at the request of John Bolton, the new national security adviser, Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs said, which would fall in line with the expectation that Bolton would reportedly further purge the National Security Council and bring in his own staff in an effort to root out any possible leakers.
National Security Council spokesman Michael Anton, suspected of leaking information to the press, announced his own departure a day before ― a move also reportedly demanded by Bolton himself.
Bossert had appeared on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday to defend President Donald Trump’s decision to send National Guard troops to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We’ve got a leaking boat on our border, and we’re all quibbling with how much water’s in the boat. … What we’re doing is taking action now at the appropriate time instead of waiting as others have in the past,” Bossert said.
Rape, he added, is the “price of entry” for many women seeking to cross the border.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.