A little over a month ago, just over six weeks into the second Trump administration — and several days before the events of the Signalgate story occurred — retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster received an unexpected call on his personal cellphone.
According to four sources who spoke to CBS News, the call came from the White House, and a voice on the other end told McMaster to stand by for the president.
The call was especially odd given that McMaster had been ousted from his role as national security adviser after only 13 months, way back in March 2018.
Odder still was that only the day before — March 2, 2025 — President Donald Trump had lambasted McMaster on social media as a “weak and totally ineffective loser” following his appearance on 60 Minutes when he expressed skepticism about Trump’s overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin and any willingness on the Russian leader’s part to end the war in Ukraine.
Why would he call him now?
When the president came on the line, he began: “Henry…” before launching into the conversation, CBS News reports, citing two sources who were not authorized to discuss private conversations.
McMaster knew this familiar voice was definitely President Trump, but he also quickly realized that he was not the intended recipient of the call.
National Security Adviser HR McMaster alongside US President Donald Trump in 2017 (AFP via Getty Images)
For a start, his name is not Henry. H.R. is short for Herbert Raymond.
“Mr. President, this is H.R. McMaster,” he said.
“Why the f*** would I talk to H.R. McMaster?” Trump asked in response before launching into what two sources said was a scathing critique of his former aide.
The call ended soon after.
According to the same two sources, the president had intended to speak with South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.
It isn’t known who placed the call to the wrong McMaster, but one person told CBS News it was an aide who works with the president. The White House declined to discuss the president’s private calls or if the conversation took place.
McMaster is a CBS News contributor but declined to comment on the call to the network.
Communications director Steven Cheung told the network: “H.R. McMaster has completely beclowned himself and his third-rate book, which is now sold in the bargain bin of the fiction section of a discount bookstore, is filled with lies in a futile attempt to rehabilitate his tattered reputation.”
McMaster appeared on 60 Minutes in March, having previously been outspoken about Trump’s views on Putin.
In his recent memoir, At War with Ourselves, he wrote that he believes the Russian leader “played to Trump’s ego and insecurities with flattery.”
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