Former Trump Administration National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster Joins the Board of ChiCom Connected Zoom
Jose Nino
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On May 6, 2020, former national security adviser H.R. McMaster joined the board of virtual conferencing company Zoom to serve as an independent director according to a report from Politico.
So far, this is the most high profile hiring of a former government official that the company has made.
The move represents a growing push by the company to strengthen its relationship with Washington as its services have grown in demand due to the Wuhan virus pandemic.
Zoom has been scrutinized by lawmakers and regulators for its failure to protect privacy and keep security risks in check. Similarly, the company has also received criticism for temporarily routing calls through China, which has raised questions about the overall security of its system. Zoom claims that the move was a mistake and the calls should have been routed through other countries.
McMaster, a retired Army lieutenant general, worked inside the Trump administration until he was fired in 2018.
“My goal is to help the company navigate rapid growth and assist in meeting Zoom’s commitment to becoming the world’s most secure video communications platform,” McMaster declared in a statement.
A Zoom spokesperson informed POLITICO that the company has also hired two other consulting firms — American Continental Group and The Cohen Group — to strengthen its D.C. outreach. Another prominent former Trump administration official, former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, holds a position as a senior counselor for The Cohen Group.
The revolving door between the defense sector, government, and private companies is very strong.
Not only does it foster corruption, but it can also be exploited by China, which has become more active in using its soft power to undermine U.S. interests by infiltrating corporations.
Should Trump get re-elected, he must completely re-tool his national security and trade policies so that America has a lean foreign policy that contains Chinese influence.
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