McMaster dodges question about whether he can work with Bannon

National security adviser H.R. McMaster on Sunday dodged a question about whether he could work with White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon.

McMaster was asked during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” whether he could still work together with Bannon.

“I get to work together with a broad range of talented people and it is a privilege every day to enable the national security team,” he said.

{mosads}When pressed further, McMaster said he ready to work with anybody who will “help advance the president’s agenda and advance the security, prosperity of the American people.”

McMaster was then asked whether he believes Bannon fits that description.

“I believe that everyone who works in the White House who has the privilege, the great privilege every day of serving their nation should be motivated by that goal,” he said.

A report earlier this month said McMaster believes Bannon is behind negative leaks about him.

Sources told Axios that West Wing staffers think Bannon was behind leaks about McMaster. 

According to the report, Trump has been “irritated” with Bannon following a series of Breitbart reports targeting McMaster. 

During the interview Sunday, McMaster also stressed that aide Sebastian Gorka is not a member of the national security council.

NBC’s Chuck Todd pushed back, saying Gorka seems to represent himself as an administration spokesperson on national security.

“Well, the scheduling people for the media and spokespeople is not my area of responsibility,” McMaster said.

“What we focus on is coordinating and integrating efforts across the government and with our multinational partners and allies to present the president with options, options about some very serious national security challenges we face today and, and also options to take advantage of opportunities to secure the American and protect the American people and promote American prosperity.”