White House Deputy National Security Adviser Mark Lippert Returning To Navy

Washington, D.C. (AHN) – The White House Deputy National Security Adviser Mark Lippert is returning to active duty in the Navy.

Lippert, who has been with President Barack Obama for the past five years, is leaving his role as chief of staff to National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones to Denis McDonough, who was head of the NSC’s strategic communications. White House speechwriter Ben Rhodes will assume the post of McDonough, while Nate Tibbits will serve as executive secretary of the NSC.

“I will miss Mark and his counsel, his excellent work at the NSC, and his good cheer,” the President said in a statement. “I was not surprised when he came and told me he had stepped forward for another mobilization, as Mark is passionate about the Navy.”

” I support his decision,” Obama added. “He is a close friend, and I admire and respect his devotion to our country and answering the call to active duty service. He will always have a senior foreign policy position in this White House, when he chooses to return to civilian life.”

There is some speculation that the staff reorganization stems from Lippert’s performance of his role as deputy national security advisor. But the White House echoed the President’s statement, saying Lippert’s return to the military had been expected.

“Mark was activated some time in the spring of 2007,” Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said. “I remember when Mark told me he was going to Iraq … he wanted to tell me before he told Senator Obama, because he wanted to see — he said to me, ‘I don’t want him to think I’m letting you guys down’ — somebody who was going to serve our country in Iraq… Mark has wanted for a long time to return to service. He and I had a discussion before the end of the campaign… He talked to the President about that before he made a decision to come here.”

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