Donald Trump's national security adviser said Vladimir Putin should win Nobel Peace Prize
Fox News analyst also advocated bombing Iran
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump’s newly-appointed deputy national security adviser once recommended Vladimir Putin for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The President-elect hired national security analyst KT (Kathleen Troia) McFarland, who held national security posts in the Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan administrations, on Friday.
But amid mounting concern over many of the President-elect's cabinet selections, attention has turned to the series of controversial comments previously made by the 65-year-old.
Her outspoken comments also include a suggestion that political correctness and a failure to discriminate against Muslims, in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo and Brussels attacks, “is getting us killed”.
But in her September 2013 opinion piece, entitled “Putin is the one who really deserves that Novel Peace Prize”, she discussed how military intervention in Syria was being avoided.
Secretary of State John Kerry reportedly said off-hand, in a diplomacy meeting in London, that the American attack would be called off if the Syrians turned over chemical weapons to an international body.
The foreign ministers from Syria and Russia apparently leapt on this and Russian President Mr Putin subsequently took the lead on announcing the destruction of President Bashar al-Assad’s arsenal.
“Putin stepped in and threw Obama a lifeline,” she wrote.
“The Washington press corps will no doubt believe him [Obama], as usual, and lavish their usual praise.
“But the world knows that Vladimir Putin is the one who really deserves that Nobel Peace Prize.
“It turns out that leading from behind left a big opening up front. Putin stepped right in. And Obama still hasn’t figured it out.”
The apparent backing for Mr Putin has subsequently been defended as satirical and tongue-in-cheek.
Ms McFarland was often rolled out on Fox News in the aftermath of terrorist attacks, and following the Brussels catastrophe, she said: “They’re [Muslims] taking advantage of our reluctance to hurt their feelings and that’s why I think political correctness is getting people killed.”
Amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the US, she said in 2012: “I think there’s only one thing to do, either bomb Iran or let Iran get the bomb.”
She will join former Breitbart editor Steve Bannon, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Abama Senator Jeff Sessions, retired US Army Lieutenant-General Mike Flynn and Kansas congressman Mike Pompeo in the White House in January.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments