Melania Trump calls for senior official's dismissal

Melania Trump has taken the extraordinary step of publicly demanding the firing of a senior White House official, following a reported argument during the first lady’s recent trip to Africa.

Deputy National Security Advisor Mira Ricardel (pictured above) is being given time to “clean out her desk”, following a statement released by Melania Trump’s communications director Stephanie Grisham, according to CNN.

Ricardel and the first lady reportedly “feuded” over seating arrangements on the plane used to take Melania Trump to Africa last month.

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“It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that (Ricardel) no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House,” the statement from the East Wing reads.

News of Ricardel’s imminent removal comes amid a flurry of rumours that other senior officials will join former attorney general Jeff Sessions on the list of people who used to work for the Trump administration.

Donald Trump is reportedly considering firing Homeland Security secretaty Kirstjen Nielsen, despite knowing that her dismissal may result in White House chief of staff John Kelly’s resignation, the Wall Street Journal says.