Reuters
President Trump offered former deputy national security adviser Mira Ricardel the post of ambassador to Estonia—but she turned the job down, Bloomberg reports. Ricardel was reportedly forced out of her former position due to disagreements with first lady Melania Trump. On Tuesday, the first lady’s office issued a highly unusual press release demanding her ouster. According to anonymous sources, the riff between Ricardel and Trump began during the first lady’s recent trip to Africa, when Ricardel threatened to withhold National Security Council resources unless an NSC staffer was included in the first lady’s entourage. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that Ricardel would “transition to a new role within the administration,” but didn’t specify what the new job would be. “I admire the president and first lady and have great respect for my colleagues who are dedicated to supporting the president’s policies,” Ricardel said in a statement on Friday. “I look forward to working with them in the months ahead.”