this post has been updated.









veteran counterterrorism official rand beers is leaving the white house.









beers has served as deputy assistant to the president for homeland security since january 2014. he will be replaced by amy pope.









"rand beers has been at the forefront of some of the most challenging national security issues we face," lisa monaco, assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, said in a statement.









"from critical infrastructure protection to cybersecurity, to pandemic preparedness, and border security, and to advancing our security relationships with critical north american partners, rand has provided indispensable counsel to me, as well as to the president and his broader national security team," she said.









beers came to the white house from the department of homeland security, where he was acting director from september 2013 to january 2014. beers spent more than four years as the department's undersecretary for the national programs and protectorate directorate, where he was responsible for protecting computer networks, communications programs and physical infrastructure.









beers served as a marine corps officer and rifle commander in vietnam from 1964 to 1968. he joined the foreign service and spent most of his career at the state department.









"the united states has had a remarkable public servant in rand, and there are many serving today across the government who have benefited from his judgment and mentorship," monaco said. "as rand prepares to retire, i wish him well and extend my sincere gratitude for his decades of service."









national security adviser susan rice said beers is the "epitome of a selfless, skilled, dedicated public servant" who has "given so much to his country as well as to his colleagues" from his military service to time in government.









"i count myself lucky to have been among those who have worked closely with<u+2014>and learned a great deal from<u+2014>randy over many years. i will sorely miss his wise counsel," rice said.









pope came to the white house from the justice department in 2012 and has served as<u+00a0>special assistant to the president and the national security council<u+2019>s senior director for transborder security. according to the white house she<u+00a0>advised on<u+00a0>issues including<u+00a0>human trafficking and combatting the threat from foreign terrorist fighters.









as congressional republicans disagree on how to fund the department of homeland security, whose capital runs out at the end of the month, white house press secretary josh earnest said it is "pretty irresponsible for republicans in congress to be playing politics with the budget of the department of homeland security." earnest added that republicans had "painted themselves into a corner" and said that "it is time for republicans to set aside politics."
white house counterterrorism adviser rand beers to retire
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