John Bolton is reportedly scrapping the White House cybersecurity chief position

John Bolton.
(Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

As part of National Security Adviser John Bolton's full overhaul of the National Security Council, he's "leading the push to abolish the role of special assistant to the president and cybersecurity coordinator," the top White House cybersecurity job, Politico reports, citing one current and two former U.S. officials. One of the former officials said there's a "60-40" chance the White House eliminates the job, potentially leaving the U.S. government rudderless heading into elections in which Russia is widely expected to meddle.

When it comes to cybersecurity, a second former official told Politico, Bolton's "not interested in it. He doesn't see the point in it. ... There's a serious concern on the [NSC] right now, particularly the [cyber team], of what the fate of their directorate is moving forward," and morale "is definitely low." The current cybersecurity coordinator, Rob Joyce, is returning to the National Security Agency, "in part because of frustration with how Bolton's team approaches cyber policy," Politico reports. "When Bolton arrived, he forced out homeland security adviser Tom Bossert, a cyber expert who supervised Joyce's team."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.