President Donald Trump’s newest Russia adviser was reportedly escorted from the White House grounds Friday after being placed on administrative leave.
Andrew Peek has been serving on the National Security Council (NSC) as the head of European and Russian Affairs — the same post previously occupied by impeachment witnesses Fiona Hill and Tim Morrison — for the last three months. (RELATED: Fiona Hill Says Longtime Clinton Crony Showed Her Steele Dossier Before It Was Published)
NEW: The top Russia expert on Trump’s National Security Council, Andrew Peek, has left his post, just a couple months in, sources tell me, @nwadhams and @justinsink.
That’s the Fiona Hill, Tim Morrison, Russia/Ukraine job.
Peek was escorted from WH on Friday. Story out soon.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 19, 2020
According to a report from Axios, Peek’s exit was “pending a security-related investigation.”
New from @margarettalev: “Andrew Peek, the senior director for European and Russian affairs at the National Security Council, has been placed on administrative leave pending a security-related investigation, people familiar with the situation tell Axios.” https://t.co/nYnwaREf8U
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) January 18, 2020
Peek was expected to travel with the president to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. (RELATED: Here’s What Trump Aide Madeleine Westerhout Said To Get Herself Canned)
Prior to taking his post at the NSC, Peek worked as a deputy assistant secretary at the State Department. He also “previously served as a strategic adviser to now-retired Marine Gen. John Allen when Allen was commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan,” Axios reported.
Peek’s departure leaves the NSC post vacant for the third time in less than a year.