(JTA) — White House counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka told a reporter for a haredi Orthodox magazine that he met with President Donald Trump and “got assurances he’s not being asked to step down.”
The quote comes from a tweet, since deleted, by the haredi publication Ami, whose reporter Jake Turx spoke Tuesday with Gorka on the White House driveway, the day after the meeting.
Reports have suggested that Gorka is leaving his post on the National Security Council to work elsewhere in the administration. Democratic lawmakers have urged his removal after the Forward reported that Gorka may have ties to far-right movements in Hungary.
Gorka was born in Britain, served in its military and was a player in Hungarian politics, his father’s native country. Reports say Gorka lacks a security clearance, a prerequisite for serving on the NSC.
Turx is the reporter who asked Trump during a White House news conference in February about his response to a rash of anti-Semitic incidents. Trump responded angrily, leading Jewish groups and others to question his commitment to combating anti-Semitism.
Although the Ami tweet has been taken down, CNBC reporter Eamon Jevers tweeted about the interview.
“Spotted Sebastian Gorka on WH driveway giving an interview just now,” Jevers wrote. “Asked if he’s being forced out, he said, ‘Do I look like I’m going?'”
Turx retweeted Jevers’ comment.
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