The Scoop
US President Donald Trump’s Africa team is starting to take shape.
Brendan McNamara, who previously worked for US Africa Command and US Space Command, has joined the National Security Council as Africa Director, two people familiar with the matter told Semafor.
McNamara has previously said Washington should encourage US private military companies to get involved in counterterrorism missions in the Sahel. McNamara joins Dan Dunham, who previously worked as Africa Team Lead with the military’s Joint Staff and is now also an Africa Director, as part of the White House’s burgeoning team focused on the continent.
The NSC’s top Africa job, senior director, remains unfilled, however, because Joe Foltz, who had been widely tipped for the role, is no longer in contention, one of the people said.