HR McMaster was surprised to pick up the phone to be told the president was on the line:
Just a day earlier, on March 2, Mr. Trump had lobbed his latest insult at McMaster, blasting him on social media as a “weak and totally ineffective loser.” McMaster had also just appeared on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” where he voiced skepticism about Mr. Trump’s overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Putin’s willingness to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump called him Henry and started talking at which point McMaster understood that it was Trump and that he thought he was talking to someone else. His name isn’t Henry. When he told the president that he was talking to H.R McMaster this is how he weirdly
“Why the f*** would I talk” to H.R. McMaster? Trump asked dismissively, and then Trump launched into a scathing critique of his former aide, two sources said.
Did he tell the White house operator to call “Henry McMaster” by mistake? He gets names mixed up. Remember Tim Apple? Or did the operator just hear the name wrong and call the wrong number? He might have had a total brain freeze for all we know. But his response is truly weird. He’s the one who placed the call (or asked for it to be placed.) And yet he asked, “why the fuck would I talk to H.R. McMaster (or “you” it’s unclear)? That makes no sense.
He’s under tremendous stress and he’s surrounded himself with sycophants and eager henchmen. And he’s not all there.