President Donald J. Trump announces his intention to nominate Kathleen Troia (“K.T.”) McFarland to be the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore. Ms. McFarland currently serves as Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor. As a highly-respected national security professional, Ms. McFarland has provided extensive analysis for Fox News. She served in the Nixon, Ford, and Reagan administrations on the National Security Council, and in the Department of Defense before joining the Trump Administration.
“I am pleased to nominate K.T. McFarland to be Ambassador to Singapore, one of America’s great allies,” President Trump said. ”While I am sorry to lose her, K.T.’s work in developing policies that put American interests first will have a lasting impact. She will remain an essential team member as she fulfills this new and important role.”
“K.T. provided essential and steadfast leadership during this transition,” said Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, President Trump’s National Security Advisor. ”She initiated and laid the foundation of the first strategic policy reviews that the NSC will continue to build upon. K.T. is leaving a great team in place to support the President, and our friends in Singapore know they are getting one of his top aides as their American ambassador.”
”I am honored by President Trump’s trust in me,” Ms. McFarland said. ”It’s been an incredible experience to serve here in the White House during his early months in office, and now I’m looking forward to implementing his policy with one of our key allies in Asia. I wish all my colleagues the very best, especially Lieutenant General McMaster, and I look forward to continuing to coordinate closely with them from my new perch in Singapore.”
McFarland’s successor at the NSC is Dr. Rick Waddell. Dr. Waddell spent 17 years working in the private sector in South America, living 12 of those years in Sao Paulo. Dr. Waddell, who is also a Major General in the U.S. Army Reserve, most recently commanded the 76th Division (Operational Response), an organization responsible for protecting the United States homeland. Dr. Waddell served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. A Rhodes Scholar and author of three books, Dr. Waddell holds a PhD in International Relations from Columbia, an MA in History and Portuguese from Oxford, and a BS from West Point.
