White House fires a top intelligence director who H.R. McMaster previously wanted to replace

White House national security advisor H.R. McMaster speaks to reporters in the White House briefing room in Washington, U.S., May 16, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts Thomson Reuters

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says one of President Donald Trump's top intelligence directors has been fired from his role at the National Security Council.

Ezra Cohen-Watnick is the latest in a string of shake-ups at the White House and NSC. He became a focal point earlier this year when CIA leaders raised concerns about him with Trump's national security adviser H.R. McMaster.

McMaster moved to replace him, but Cohen-Watnick appealed to Trump's top advisers, Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner, who got Trump to intervene to save his job.

A statement Wednesday says "General McMaster appreciates the good work accomplished in the NSC's Intelligence directorate under Ezra Cohen's leadership."

It adds that McMaster "determined that, at this time, a different set of experiences is best-suited to carrying that work forward."

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