Trump and candidates for national security advisor spar over staffing

President Donald Trump won’t guarantee that his next national security adviser will have full control over staffing and process, a move that is shortening the list of people willing to take the job at a tumultuous moment for the new administration, people familiar with the matter said…

By late Friday, the search appeared to be an open race, with no firm decisions from Mr. Trump. The choice may come down to who is willing to accept the post without overhauling the operation that Mr. Flynn green-lighted before he was fired for misrepresenting his December conversations with the Russian ambassador to administration officials.

Mr. Trump also is satisfied with the current staff, the official said. For instance, it was Mr. Trump, not Mr. Flynn, who picked K.T. McFarland for the deputy job at the NSC. The president believes she is doing a good job and doesn’t think she should be ousted, the official said.

“It is dumb to demand Flynn’s people go. Why are you creating embarrassment?” said the official. “If you make that a precondition, you are not a loyal soldier and you don’t deserve the job.”