White House reportedly planning to replace H.R. McMaster as soon as next month

AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster.

• The White House is reportedly planning to replace National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster.
• His ouster could come as soon as next month, according to NBC News.

White House officials are preparing to replace national security adviser H.R. McMaster as early as next month, according to an NBC report Thursday.

White House chief of staff John Kelly and Secretary of Defense James Mattis are orchestrating the move, five people familiar with the discussion told NBC's Nicolle Wallace, the former White House communications director under President George W. Bush who is now an MSNBC host.

McMaster has long been rumored to be eyeing the exits amid reports of friction with President Donald Trump. Kelly, another former military general serving in Trump's Cabinet, has also been reported to be on thin ice.

NBC said potential replacements for McMaster included Stephen Biegun, the vice president of international governmental affairs at Ford Motor Company. McMaster is Trump's second national security adviser after Michael Flynn, who resigned in February 2017 after reports that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence on his prior communications with Russian officials.

The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.