On Wednesday, President Obama titled the new national security adviser as former U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice. She intends to increase White House control over foreign policy in spite of the mainly Republican criticism she has received for her handling on the U.S. diplomatic compound attack in Libya.

READ MORE: Clinton Testifies Over Benghazi Attack

Rice is replacing the former adviser, Tom Donilon, and is expected to have an important role in defending Obama’s policy on the civil war in Syria. Her replacement as Ambassador is expected to be Samantha Power, previously a White House Aid and Harvard Professor known for her Pulitzer Prize regarding her authored book on genocide.

From Reuters: 

“The selection of the pair raises the question of whether Obama's foreign policy might place more emphasis on human rights issues during his second term.

Rice's appointment could anger Republicans who have sharply criticized her role in the handling of last September's attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya that killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens.”

While Rice was originally intended to replace Hilary Clinton as Secretary of State, the intense criticism regarding Benghazi led the job to John Kerry instead, eventually leading Rice to her current position.

Rice will begin her position in July.

 

Reach Executive Producer Eric Parra here.