Mullin: Bannon Doesn’t Belong on NSC

Retired Navy Adm. Mike Mullin, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, believes President Trump made a mistake when he appointed political advisor Stephen K. Bannon to the National Security Council (NSC). Bannon has come under criticism from members of both political parties because of his strong partisan stance. Mullin, who served on the NSC while he was chairman, believes Bannon’s presence would hinder important decision-making. In a Feb. 6 op-ed piece published in the New York Times, Mullin said, “Having Mr. Bannon as a voting member … will have a negative influence on what is supposed to be a candid, nonpartisan deliberation,” Mullin wrote. “Every president has the right and the responsibility to shape the security council as he sees fit. But partisan politics has no place at that table. And neither does Mr. Bannon,” he wrote.