President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would bring Sebastian Gorka, a conservative firebrand and commentator, back into the White House in a national security role.
Trump posted a statement to Truth Social on Friday that he had selected Gorka to be deputy assistant to the president and as senior director for counterterrorism, a role housed within the White House National Security Council. Gorka served in the White House during Trump’s first term as strategist to the president.
“Since 2015, Dr. Gorka has been a tireless advocate for the America First Agenda and the MAGA Movement,” Trump said in the announcement.
Gorka said in a post on X that he was “honored beyond words” to serve “in what will be the greatest Administration of the modern age.”
Honored beyond words to serve President @realDonaldTrump once again, in what will be the greatest Administration of the modern age. #MakingAmericaGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/Y0wvlrwGvh
— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) November 23, 2024
Gorka, born in the United Kingdom to Hungarian parents, has earned a reputation as a pugilistic political commentator. During his political rise under the first Trump term, he took hardline positions on terror groups and immigration.
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The firebrand taught national security courses for years, including at military institutions, before gaining prominence in the Trump campaign and the White House with his tough stances against Islamic fundamentalists. After his return to the White House was announced, some of Gorka’s recent statements expressing support for Israel began to circulate online.
“There is no clean solution to the problem of Gaza and the West Bank … when 70% of the population you are trying to deal with wants all of you murdered, there is no political solution,” Gorka said in one clip on the potential for a two-state solution in Israel. “The only thing you have is problem management – not solution, but management.”
WATCH⚡️
Sebastian Gorka, appointed by Trump as Senior Director for Counterterrorism:
“There is no clean solution to the challenges in Gaza and Judea and Samaria. The only viable path is as David Friedman suggested—a single Jewish state. This is not a political issue; the… pic.twitter.com/5tGzO8CyPd
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) November 25, 2024
Gorka’s return to the White House has been controversial among some of Trump’s former national security team. Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, who fell out with the president and now is a vocal Trump critic, said he would not have Gorka in “any U.S. government.”
Alongside Gorka, Trump announced that Alex Wong will be assistant to the president and principal deputy national security adviser, roles for which Gorka was believed to be in the mix. Florida Rep. Michael Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, praised Wong’s choice.
“I am thrilled to have Alex Wong on the NSC as President Trump’s Principal Deputy National Security Advisor. Alex has a proven record of delivering results during President Trump’s first term, where he helped negotiate the historic summits with Kim Jong Un that stabilized relations,” Waltz wrote in a post on X. “He will have an essential role in helping keep America safe!”