Donald Trump seems to have got over his apparent aversion to walrus-style moustaches and appointed John Bolton, the staunchly conservative foreign policy hawk, as his national security adviser.
The President had put forward his dislike of Mr Bolton's facial hair as the reason he wouldn't be his Secretary of State.
Well, the bad jokes pushed aside, Mr Trump has decided needs must and he's brought Mr Bolton in at a highly significant moment.
Big decisions loom on both the Iran nuclear deal, and more particularly on the possible summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. And it's pretty clear which way Mr Bolton will push the President on both those issues.
He is a savage critic of the Iran deal, describing president Barack Obama's nuclear agreement as a "diplomatic Waterloo". He actually made the case in the New York Times a few years ago for a bombing raid on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Mr Bolton has also set out the arguments for a pre-emptive strike against North Korea. And it will be fascinating to see how he and Mr Trump deal with the meeting the President has already said will happen. Mr Bolton has had Mr Trump's ear for some time now but I can't imagine that Mr Bolton would have thought that the summit was a good idea. He will bring suspicion and caution to that process.
His appointment will be viewed with utter dismay by many Western governments, including the British, as well as the EU and the UN.
Mr Bolton was a highly controversial pick as George W Bush's UN Ambassador. He was not well-received there.
Mr Trump will be the fourth Republican President he has served. There will be huge concern that he will insist on the unpicking of the Iran deal, which would almost inevitably lead to the Iranians withdrawing altogether, which could mean military action would be back on the table.
European diplomats were just beginning to hope that the White House might avoid scrapping the deal. Not anymore.
Donald Trump is re-shaping his foreign policy team in a way that will be alarming to many.
With Mike Pompeo – the former CIA director – as Secretary of State, and now Mr Bolton alongside him, there is little doubt it will follow a more hawkish line.
That the President wanted Mr Bolton to replace General HR McMaster was the worst-kept secret in Washington. The chatter was destabilising and uncomfortable for General McMaster. He will step down in a couple of weeks and will also retire from the military.
Mr Bolton will be Mr Trump's third national security adviser as the revolving door of the White House keeps turning.
Mr Trump insists that the changes signify a president coming to terms with the job and growing in confidence. He says he now knows who and what he wants.
More from Donald Trump
Others will say the constant churn of top staff suggests a White House in turmoil.
Whichever it is, it is all happening at quite dizzying speed and the consequences, in truth, can only be guessed at.
Donald Trump seems to have got over his apparent aversion to walrus-style moustaches and appointed John Bolton, the staunchly conservative foreign policy hawk, as his national security adviser.
The President had put forward his dislike of Mr Bolton's facial hair as the reason he wouldn't be his Secretary of State.
Well, the bad jokes pushed aside, Mr Trump has decided needs must and he's brought Mr Bolton in at a highly significant moment.
Big decisions loom on both the Iran nuclear deal, and more particularly on the possible summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. And it's pretty clear which way Mr Bolton will push the President on both those issues.
He is a savage critic of the Iran deal, describing president Barack Obama's nuclear agreement as a "diplomatic Waterloo". He actually made the case in the New York Times a few years ago for a bombing raid on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Mr Bolton has also set out the arguments for a pre-emptive strike against North Korea. And it will be fascinating to see how he and Mr Trump deal with the meeting the President has already said will happen. Mr Bolton has had Mr Trump's ear for some time now but I can't imagine that Mr Bolton would have thought that the summit was a good idea. He will bring suspicion and caution to that process.
His appointment will be viewed with utter dismay by many Western governments, including the British, as well as the EU and the UN.
Mr Bolton was a highly controversial pick as George W Bush's UN Ambassador. He was not well-received there.
Mr Trump will be the fourth Republican President he has served. There will be huge concern that he will insist on the unpicking of the Iran deal, which would almost inevitably lead to the Iranians withdrawing altogether, which could mean military action would be back on the table.
European diplomats were just beginning to hope that the White House might avoid scrapping the deal. Not anymore.
Donald Trump is re-shaping his foreign policy team in a way that will be alarming to many.
With Mike Pompeo – the former CIA director – as Secretary of State, and now Mr Bolton alongside him, there is little doubt it will follow a more hawkish line.
That the President wanted Mr Bolton to replace General HR McMaster was the worst-kept secret in Washington. The chatter was destabilising and uncomfortable for General McMaster. He will step down in a couple of weeks and will also retire from the military.
Mr Bolton will be Mr Trump's third national security adviser as the revolving door of the White House keeps turning.
Mr Trump insists that the changes signify a president coming to terms with the job and growing in confidence. He says he now knows who and what he wants.
More from Donald Trump
Others will say the constant churn of top staff suggests a White House in turmoil.
Whichever it is, it is all happening at quite dizzying speed and the consequences, in truth, can only be guessed at.
