Iran Daily - Since Donald Trump took the helm at the White House, his cabinet has been in flux. The Republican billionaire has fired some senior government officials in his first 15 months in office to form a favorable cabinet for himself.


However, experts believe such moves stem from inexperience and his insistence to wield his authority.

Recently, two major changes in the Trump administration hit the headlines.

On March 13, Trump announced that he had ousted secretary of state Rex Tillerson and intended to replace him with Mike Pompeo, the CIA director. Later, the US president said he was replacing national security adviser H.R. McMaster with John Bolton. Both of them have built up a reputation as hawks.

Analysts say these changes were made to establish a more proper alignment between the White House and its stance towards Iran and North Korea.

Hence, it should be made clear what policies Pompeo and Bolton will purse with regard to the Iran nuclear deal.

Pompeo has not clearly expounded on his views towards the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Although Pompeo has stressed that the JCPOA must change, he has not said whether he wants the US to pull out of the accord.

Pompeo seeks to depict himself as a moderate politician because it seems that he might not get a favorable vote from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to support his nomination as secretary of state.

During a confirmation hearing, Pompeo denied that he is a hawk, adding that as America’s top diplomat he would always make diplomacy his top priority.

Bolton, who took over as the president’s third national security adviser, has a more hawkish stance than Pompeo.

The appointment of Bolton, who advocated the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, is expected to fuel tensions in the Middle East.

His hostility toward Iran is crystal clear. Bolton has supported military confrontation with the Islamic Republic and has also called on Washington to withdraw from the nuclear agreement.

Trump has delivered an ultimatum to Britain, France and Germany, saying they must agree to “fix the terrible flaws” of the JCPOA or he would withdraw from it on the May 12 deadline.

Trump’s latest cabinet shakeup is in line with his plans to quit the Iran nuclear deal. These changes also show his administration’s militaristic approach.