Meet Robert C. O'Brien, Trump's new national security adviser and a former hostage negotiator who monitored A$AP Rocky's trial in Sweden

O'Brien is replacing John Bolton, who was abruptly ousted from the position last week.
O'Brien made his public splash earlier this summer when Trump sent him to Sweden to monitor rapper A$AP Rocky's trial for assault charges.
The Washington Post recently reported O'Brien is perceived as "a team player" with "affable demeanor," a stark contrast with Bolton's hard-edged and confrontational approach.
Here's how O'Brien went from being a State Department official, Trump's chief hostage negotiator to his new national security advisor.
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President Donald Trump tapped his chief hostage negotiator Robert C. O'Brien to be his new national security adviser on Wednesday. O'Brien is replacing John Bolton, who was abruptly ousted from the position last week. He'll be the fourth person to serve in the role.

O'Brien captured headlines earlier this summer when Trump sent him to Sweden to monitor rapper A$AP Rocky's trial for assault charges after a brawl in Stockholm. Now he's confronted with an escalating crisis on Iran.

The Washington Post recently reported O'Brien is perceived as "a team player" with "affable demeanor," a stark contrast with Bolton's ideological and hard-edged management approach.

The new national security adviser was born in Los Angeles and later graduated with a law degree from University of California, Berkeley. He's also the co-founder of Larson O'Brien LLP, a law firm in Los Angeles.

O'Brien has advised three presidential campaigns on foreign policy and served in various State Department roles during the Bush administration, according to his law firm biography.

Here's how O'Brien went from being a State Department official to Trump's chief hostage negotiator to his new national security advisor.

OBrien was born in Los Angeles and largely grew up there. He later graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a law degree.

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Flickr/John Morgan

Source: State Department

OBrien also served a member of John Boltons team during the Bush administration. They worked together at the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2005.

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Laurent Gillieron/AP

Source: US State Department

From 2008 to 2011, OBrien was appointed to advise the federal government on issues related to the trafficking of antiquities and other cultural artifacts.

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Thomson Reuters

Source: US State Department

During the 2016 presidential election, O Brien collected a series of foreign policy essays into a book called "While America Slept." He tore into Obamas foreign policy and compared his nuclear deal with Iran to appeasement in Munich that emboldened Adolf Hitler in 1938. "America faces a stark choice in 2016 between a continuation of President Obamas lead-from-behind foreign policy and sequester-based national security approach and a return to President Reagans leader of the free world foreign policy and peace through strength national security approach," OBrien wrote.

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Michael Campanella/Getty Images

Source: The New York Times

OBrien praised Trumps national security strategy even before the president-elect was sworn in. In December 2016, he authored a column where he said Americas allies were starting to pay more for common defense. "We may be witnessing the most impressive presidential transition from a national-security standpoint in history," he wrote.

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Associated Press

Source: The National Interest

In May 2018, Trump picked OBrien to become his chief hostage negotiator.

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Susan Walsh/AP

Source: Los Angeles Business Journal

OBrien has lauded Trump for helping bring Americans home. At a March press conference, he said: "The President has had unparalleled success in bringing Americans home without paying concessions, without prisoner exchanges, but through force of will and the goodwill that hes generated around the world."

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Harmony Gerber/Getty Images

Source: The White House

Over the summer, Trump sent OBrien to monitor A$AP Rockys trial for assault charges after a brawl in Stockholm. The president asked me to come here and support these American citizens, Mr. OBrien told The New York Times. Ill be here until they come home.

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Fredrik Persson/Reuters

Source: The New York Times

OBrien defended Trumps decision to send him to Sweden, given he usually handles sensitive hostage negotiations in war-torn countries. "The president sent me here, so its totally appropriate. I also help free people that are held by governments, so unjustly detained Americans," OBrien told reporters.

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ERIK SIMANDER/AFP/Getty Images

Source: The New York Times

After ousting Bolton as his national security adviser over fundamental foreign policy disagreements, Trump tapped OBrien to replace him. He made the announcement on Twitter and praised his "very successful" efforts. "I have worked long & hard with Robert. He will do a great job!" Trump tweeted.

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Reuters

Source: President Donald Trump's Twitter account

The national security adviser works directly for the president and is typically tasked with leading the NSC staff that researches military and diplomatic options for the president. The position works with Cabinet level officials like the defense, state and treasury secretaries to present the president with the best policy recommendations.

OBrien was reportedly boosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, given their work on several hostage cases. They collaborated on the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey as well as those of other detained Americans from Afghanistan, Yemen, and Libya.

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Laszlo Balogh/Getty images

Source: The Washington Post

Meet Robert C. O'Brien, Trump's new national security adviser and a former hostage negotiator who monitored A$AP Rocky's trial in Sweden

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OBrien was born in Los Angeles and largely grew up there. He later graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a law degree.

OBrien also served a member of John Boltons team during the Bush administration. They worked together at the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2005.

From 2008 to 2011, OBrien was appointed to advise the federal government on issues related to the trafficking of antiquities and other cultural artifacts.

In May 2018, Trump picked OBrien to become his chief hostage negotiator.

Over the summer, Trump sent OBrien to monitor A$AP Rockys trial for assault charges after a brawl in Stockholm. The president asked me to come here and support these American citizens, Mr. OBrien told The New York Times. Ill be here until they come home.

OBrien defended Trumps decision to send him to Sweden, given he usually handles sensitive hostage negotiations in war-torn countries. "The president sent me here, so its totally appropriate. I also help free people that are held by governments, so unjustly detained Americans," OBrien told reporters.

After ousting Bolton as his national security adviser over fundamental foreign policy disagreements, Trump tapped OBrien to replace him. He made the announcement on Twitter and praised his "very successful" efforts. "I have worked long & hard with Robert. He will do a great job!" Trump tweeted.

OBrien was reportedly boosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, given their work on several hostage cases. They collaborated on the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey as well as those of other detained Americans from Afghanistan, Yemen, and Libya.

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Meet Robert C. O'Brien, Trump's new national security adviser and a former hostage negotiator who monitored A$AP Rocky's trial in Sweden

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OBrien was born in Los Angeles and largely grew up there. He later graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a law degree.

OBrien also served a member of John Boltons team during the Bush administration. They worked together at the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2005.

From 2008 to 2011, OBrien was appointed to advise the federal government on issues related to the trafficking of antiquities and other cultural artifacts.

In May 2018, Trump picked OBrien to become his chief hostage negotiator.

Over the summer, Trump sent OBrien to monitor A$AP Rockys trial for assault charges after a brawl in Stockholm. The president asked me to come here and support these American citizens, Mr. OBrien told The New York Times. Ill be here until they come home.

After ousting Bolton as his national security adviser over fundamental foreign policy disagreements, Trump tapped OBrien to replace him. He made the announcement on Twitter and praised his "very successful" efforts. "I have worked long & hard with Robert. He will do a great job!" Trump tweeted.

OBrien was reportedly boosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, given their work on several hostage cases. They collaborated on the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey as well as those of other detained Americans from Afghanistan, Yemen, and Libya.

FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA

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The CBN justifies $2b billion loss in forex, dispelling Naira defense claims

10 best airports in Africa in 2024

10 most expensive cities in Africa in 2024

Illegal money changers adapt to Zimbabwe's ZiG currency rollout

Zimbabwe's ZiG currency printing contingent on reserve sufficiency

The global workforce is set to collapse without Africa

500 millionaires fall off in Kenya - here’s why

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7 most influential Africans in the world 2024 -TIME

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