H.R. McMaster is a name that pops up every time the White House enters a period of high-stakes drama or the U.S. military faces a "how did we get here?" moment. Most folks know him as the guy who stepped in to serve as Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor after Michael Flynn’s exit. But if you think he's just another retired general with a suit and a podcast, you're missing the real story.
He is a rare breed. Basically, a "scholar-warrior."
He didn't just fight in wars; he wrote the book on why the people in charge of them were often failing. His career is a weird, fascinating mix of high-intensity tank battles and quiet library research. Honestly, he’s probably the only person to ever win a Silver Star for a legendary tank battle and later get a PhD in history for a dissertation that essentially called his bosses’ bosses liars.
Who is H.R. McMaster?
Herbert Raymond McMaster—everyone calls him H.R.—is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general who served as the 25th National Security Advisor from 2017 to 2018. Born in Philly in 1962, he’s spent the better part of 34 years in a uniform.
You’ve likely seen him on the news lately. Since leaving the Trump administration, he’s become a massive voice in the "strategic competence" conversation. He’s currently a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford. He isn't just "retired," though. He’s out there hosting the Battlegrounds series and writing bestsellers like At War with Ourselves (released in 2024), which gives a brutally honest look at his time in the West Wing.
The Tank Commander of 73 Easting
Before the politics, there was the mud. In 1991, during the Gulf War, then-Captain McMaster led "Eagle Troop" of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment. They ran into a much larger Iraqi Republican Guard force in the middle of a sandstorm.
It was the Battle of 73 Easting.
In about 23 minutes, McMaster’s small troop of nine tanks destroyed dozens of Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles. They didn't lose a single man. It’s now studied at West Point as one of the most decisive tank engagements in modern history. That's where he earned the Silver Star. He wasn't just following orders; he was moving faster than the command structure could keep up with.
The "Dereliction of Duty" Controversy
Most officers keep their heads down if they want to get promoted. McMaster did the opposite. While getting his PhD at UNC-Chapel Hill, he wrote a dissertation that became the book Dereliction of Duty.
It was explosive.
He argued—using declassified documents—that the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Vietnam War failed the American people by not standing up to President Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamara. He basically accused the military’s top brass of being "co-opted" and lying to themselves and the public. It made him a hero to younger officers but, as you can imagine, didn't make him many friends among the generals at the Pentagon for a while.
The White House Years and the "Axis of Aggressors"
When he was tapped to be National Security Advisor in 2017, he was still on active duty. That’s rare. Usually, the NSA is a civilian or a retired officer. He was the first active-duty guy in the role since Colin Powell.
He walked into a mess.
His job was to bring order to a National Security Council (NSC) that was, by most accounts, chaotic. He tried to implement "strategic empathy"—a term he uses a lot. It doesn't mean being nice to enemies. It means actually understanding why our adversaries (like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea) do what they do, rather than just assuming they’ll react the way we want them to.
Why He Eventually Left
McMaster’s time in the Trump administration lasted about 13 months. It was a friction-filled year. He’s a guy who likes "rigorous process." Trump... well, he famously prefers a different style.
They clashed on:
- Russia: McMaster was much more hawkish on Putin’s interference.
- The Iran Deal: He wanted a "fix it or nix it" approach but through a very structured diplomatic lens.
- Afghanistan: He pushed for a long-term commitment to "consolidate gains" rather than a quick exit.
By April 2018, he resigned. He was replaced by John Bolton. Soon after, he retired from the Army entirely.
What H.R. McMaster is Doing in 2026
If you’re wondering where he is now, he’s basically the go-to expert for what he calls the "Axis of Aggressors." He’s spent the last couple of years warning that China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are working closer together than ever before.
He isn't just talking about military stuff anymore. He’s teaching at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. He’s talking about "strategic narcissism"—the idea that Americans think the world revolves around us and that our actions are the only thing that matters. He thinks that’s a dangerous delusion.
Actionable Insights from McMaster’s Worldview
If you're trying to understand the current geopolitical landscape, here is how McMaster suggests you look at it:
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- Stop "Mirror Imaging": Don't assume your rivals think like you do. Just because a policy seems logical to a Westerner doesn't mean it makes sense to a leader in Tehran or Moscow.
- Strategic Empathy is a Weapon: If you can’t see the world through your opponent's eyes (their fears, their history, their ego), you will never be able to outmaneuver them.
- The "Long Game" Wins: Whether it's business or war, McMaster argues that the American impulse for a "quick exit" usually leads to disaster. You have to be willing to stay in the fight until you reach a sustainable outcome.
His 2024 book At War with Ourselves is probably the most detailed account of how he tried (and often failed) to bring this philosophy to the highest levels of government. It’s a great read if you want to understand why Washington is so divided on foreign policy today.
Keep an eye on his Battlegrounds podcast if you want the latest on how he views the 2026 global security situation. He’s still very much in the middle of the conversation.
To get a better sense of his specific strategies, you might want to look into his "Four Overarching Challenges" framework, which he often uses to describe the shift from the post-Cold War era to the current era of "Great Power Competition." It's a solid starting point for understanding why he believes the U.S. needs a total "strategic course correction."