President Donald Trump has abruptly forced out his hawkish national security adviser John Bolton, with whom he had strong disagreements on Iran, Afghanistan and a cascade of other global challenges.
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The sudden shake-up marks the latest departure of a prominent voice of dissent from the president's inner circle, as Trump has grown less accepting of advice contrary to his instincts.
It also comes at a trying moment for Trump on the world stage, weeks ahead of the United Nations General Assembly and as the president faces pressing decisions on difficult foreign policy issues.
Tensions between Bolton, Trump's third national security adviser, and other officials have flared in recent months over influence in the president's orbit and how to manage his desire to negotiate with some of the world's most unsavoury actors.
Since joining the administration in the spring of last year, Bolton has espoused skepticism about the president's whirlwind rapprochement with North Korea, and recently has become a vocal internal critic of potential talks between Trump and leaders of Iran and Afghanistan's Taliban.
Bolton also broke with Trump with his vocal condemnation of Russia's global aggressions, and last year he masterminded a quiet campaign inside the administration and with allies abroad to persuade Trump to keep US forces in Syria to counter the remnants of the Islamic State and Iranian influence in the region.
Bolton's manoeuvring at the time contrasted with former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' decision to instead resign over Trump's December withdrawal announcement, which has been effectively reversed.
On Twitter on Tuesday, Trump and Bolton offered opposing accounts on the adviser's less-than-friendly departure, final shots for what had been a fractious relationship almost from the start.
Trump tweeted that he told Bolton Monday night his services were no longer needed at the White House and Bolton submitted his resignation Tuesday morning. Bolton responded in a tweet of his own that he offered to resign Monday "and President Trump said, 'Let's talk about it tomorrow."'
Trump explained that he had "disagreed strongly" with many of Bolton's suggestions as national security adviser, "as did others in the administration".
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who had been travelling with Trump on Monday, said reports of Bolton's opposition to a now-scrapped weekend meeting with the Taliban at Camp David were a "bridge too far" for Trump.
One Republican familiar with the disagreements between Trump and Bolton said the adviser's opposition to a possible meeting between Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was a precipitating factor in the dismissal.
"There were many times that Ambassador Bolton and I disagreed. That's to be sure," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, adding that Trump has been clear that he is willing to meet with Rouhani "with no preconditions".
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who appeared with Pompeo at the White House, said, "The president's view of the Iraq war and Ambassador Bolton's was very different."
The Iranian government has hailed Bolton's departure, and spokesman Ali Rabiei said it might pave the way for warmer relations.
Pompeo said world leaders should not assume that the Trump's foreign policy "will change in a material way".
White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said Charles Kupperman, the deputy national security adviser and a former Reagan administration official and defence contracting executive, would fill Bolton's role on an acting basis.
Trump said he would name a replacement for Bolton next week.
Australian Associated Press
