Backgrounder: Recent reshuffle in Trump administration

WASHINGTON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump was reportedly considering to oust Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, in yet another shakeup in the senior ranks of the Trump administration.

According to the CNN, the announcement could happen as early as this week.

The following is a list of personnel changes that happened recently:

-- National Security Advisor

On March 22, the White House announced the departure of National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, making room for hawkish diplomat John Bolton who is expected to add more momentum to the increasingly assertive U.S. foreign policy.

Bolton, born in 1949, served the Reagan and Bush administrations. He has been largely known for his hawkish stance. He also strongly lashed out at the United Nations, threatening not to pay for the U.S. dues if his requirements were not met.

H.R. McMaster became the 26th National Security Advisor in February 2017, succeeding Michael Flynn. McMaster resigned from his post on March 22, and will be leaving on April 9.

-- Secretary of State

Trump announced his intention to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Mike Pompeo, chief of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on March 13.

Tillerson, former chief executive of the U.S. oil and gas company Exxon, assumed office on Feb. 1, 2017. He underwent a rocky term as a newcomer diplomat due to his divergence from Trump on issues like multilateralism and America's withdrawal from multilateral treaties and organizations.

Pompeo, a Trump loyalist, is seen as a hawk in foreign policies. In an announcement from the White House, Pompeo was given credit for providing highly confidential information on Syria and Iran, which played a "crucial" role in shaping the Trump administration's foreign policy.

-- White House Communications Director

On Feb. 28, White House Communications Director Hope Hicks said she is resigning.

The announcement came one day after Hicks testified in front of Congress on Russia's alleged interference with the 2016 presidential elections, during which she said she had told "white lies" while working for the administration.

Hicks, Trump's longest serving aid, has been working under Trump for three years since before he announced his candidacy for presidency. She entered Trump's team as a communications aide, and gradually evolved into one of Trump's most trusted advisors.

In addition, Deputy White House Communications Director Josh Raffel has announced his resignation on Feb. 27. Enditem