White House deputy national security adviser Mira Ricardel was forced out of her job on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump's wife, Melania, said Ricardel did not deserve the honour of working for her husband.

Ricardel "will continue to support the president as she departs the White House to transition to a new role within the administration," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement. Sanders did not elaborate on what Ricardel's new job would be.

Trump, after congressional elections last week in which his Republican Party saw its power eroded, is also preparing to oust Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen as part of a post-election Cabinet shakeup, several U.S. officials said.

There are reports Trump is also about to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. (Evan Vucci/Associated Press)

Ricardel is a former Commerce Department official hand-picked by Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, to serve as his deputy.

She ran afoul of Melania Trump and her staff in negotiations over the former's trip to Africa in October and the use of government resources for the trip, a senior administration official said.

Ricardel has also built a reputation in the White House for berating staff, several sources said.

Ricardel reportedly clashed with Melania Trump over her recent trip to Africa. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Melania Trump's office took the extraordinary step of issuing a statement on Tuesday saying that Ricardel should be ousted. While wives of U.S. presidents historically have been known to pressure their husbands over official business, they do not typically issue statements about it.

"It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honour of serving in this White House," Stephanie Grisham, her spokesperson had said.

Bolton had fought behind the scenes to keep Ricardel from being forced out but ultimately lost the battle, two officials said.