Mike Pence to name Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg as his national security adviser

He was previously chief of staff at the National Security Council

Keith Kellogg in the East Room of the White House (Getty Images )

Mike Pence, the Vice President of the United States, is set to name retired Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg as his national security adviser, it has been reported.

Lt Gen Kellogg is a trusted national security aide to President Donald Trump who has been chief of staff at the National Security Council.

He is now set to be named as part of Mr Pence’s team, according to a White House official familiar with the plans.

Mr Pence had planned to select Jon Lerner, an adviser to the US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley but Mr Lerner withdrew his name from consideration after Mr Trump raised questions about his past criticism of the president.

Lt Gen Kellogg served in the military for 36 years and was in the army in Vietnam and as a special forces officer in Cambodia.

He helped the Bush administration in Iraq and served as chief operating officer for Baghdad’s provisional government in 2004.

After joining the Trump campaign he went to serve as acting national security adviser after Michael Flynn resigned in February 2017.

Agencies contributed to this report