Hostage negotiator to be Trump’s new security chief

Donald Trump has named hostage negotiator Robert O’Brien as John Bolton’s replacement.

Robert O'Brien is expected to become Donald Trump’s next National Security Adviser. Picture: AP

Donald Trump has named hostage negotiator Robert O’Brien as his new National Security Adviser to replace John Bolton, who left the post last week.

The US President tweeted on Wednesday that he had “worked long & hard” with Mr O’Brien and that “he will do a great job!”.

The announcement comes a week after he ousted Mr Bolton from the post, citing policy disagreements. Mr Bolton was Mr Trump’s third national security adviser.

As the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs at the State Department, Mr O’Brien has worked closely with the families of American hostages and advised administration officials on hostage issues. He previously helped lead the department’s public-private partnership for justice reform in Afghanistan during the Bush and Obama administrations.

In 2005, president George W. Bush nominated Mr O’Brien to be US representative to the UN General Assembly, where he worked with Mr Bolton.

About an hour before the President’s tweet, he announced what he said would be substantial new sanctions against Iran in the first response to what US officials say was likely Iranian involvement in an attack on Saudi oil facilities at the weekend.

“I have just instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to substantially increase Sanctions on the country of Iran!” Mr Trump said in a tweet.

The US already enforces widespread sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy, including attempting to shut down its major oil export industry.

AP, AFP