WASHINGTON - Hours before Donald Trump's chief of staff told Steve Bannon that his time in the White House had come to an end, H.R. McMaster, the president's national security adviser and Bannon's West Wing adversary, was all smiles before the cameras. McMaster had survived a targeted attack against him orchestrated by Bannon's allies on the far right – facilitated by conservative pundits and media websites – who claimed the three-star general was “deeply hostile” to the Jewish state. The campaign forced Trump to come to McMaster's defense, and was a factor in Bannon's firing on Friday, The New York Times reported. As the president prepared to relieve Bannon, McMaster hosted Israel's national security team at the White House – and its senior leaders, including Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer and Mossad head Yossi Cohen, over to his house for a dress-down dinner on his porch. Organized important bilateral meeting between @WHNSC / US National Security team and our counterparts from Israel at the @WhiteHouse today. pic.twitter.com/n7l9icio5I — Jason D. Greenblatt (@jdgreenblatt45) August 18, 2017 Jason Greenblatt, the president's special representative for international negotiations currently leading the administration's talks with Israelis and Palestinians, attended the day's meetings and posted photos of the White House summit and dinner on Twitter. NSA LTG McMaster also was very kind to host the U.S. and Israeli delegations at his home for dinner. Thank you Katie McMaster too! pic.twitter.com/7vLuaDPUHW — Jason D. Greenblatt (@jdgreenblatt45) August 18, 2017 Greenblatt said: “McMaster led the meeting from our side, and we had a very productive discussion on our strong and continuing partnership. NSA LTG McMaster led the meeting from our side and we had a very productive discussion on our strong and continuing partnership. — Jason D. Greenblatt (@jdgreenblatt45) August 18, 2017 “Important bilateral meeting,” he added.
National Security Adviser Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster.Updated: