President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Kathleen Troia "K.T." McFarland, a former government official and current Fox News analyst, as a deputy national security adviser, a transition official told NBC News.
National Security Adviser Michael Flynn tweeted the announcement on Friday, as well.
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"So proud & honored to have KT McFarland as part of our National Security team. She will help us #MAGA," Flynn tweeted from his verified account.
Following Trump's selections of South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as U.N. ambassador and billionaire businesswoman Betsy DeVos for education secretary, McFarland marks the third female appointment into his administration — featuring a Cabinet that has been criticized in some circles for being disproportionately white and male.
The Oxford-educated McFarland, with her experience working in the Ford and Reagan administrations in national security and defense positions, also represents a break from some of the more inexperienced names which Trump has floated for his administration.
Ironically, McFarland was once seeking to run against the candidate who Trump just narrowly defeated in the presidential election — Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
There are also leading contenders for other roles, including billionaire investor Wilbur Ross for commerce secretary, Chicago Cubs co-owner and Republican donor Todd Ricketts for deputy commerce secretary, Trump fundraiser and finance executive Steve Mnuchin, retired Gen. James Mattis for defense secretary and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson to lead Housing and Urban Development. Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney is also in the running to be secretary of state, as is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.