President Trump Orders Major Overhaul of National Security Council
TL/DR –
President Donald Trump is set to significantly reduce the size of the National Security Council (NSC). This would lead to the removal of some political appointees and many career government employees being returned to their home agencies. This comes after Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz was ousted, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stepping in, and the NSC is expected to see further reshuffling.
Trump Orders Major Overhaul of the National Security Council
An extensive restructuring of the National Security Council (NSC) is underway, initiated by President Donald Trump. This decision will result in a reduced staff size and the removal of several political appointees, with numerous career government employees heading back to their home agencies, according to sources familiar with the reorganization.
This reshuffling, following the early dismissal of Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz this month, is seen as a significant shift in the operations of the NSC. Waltz’s removal was statement-making, given his reputation for adhering to traditional Republican foreign policy. The current national security adviser is Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who took over following Waltz’s dismissal and his subsequent nomination as Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations.
This decision is expected to enhance the role of the State Department and Pentagon in guiding Trump’s important foreign policy decisions. Nevertheless, Trump’s decision-making is highly instinctual, and he principally relies on his own judgement.
The NSC, an instrumental part of the White House established during the Truman administration, advises the president on national security and foreign policy, coordinating with various government agencies. Trump has expressed frustration towards political appointees who seemed to halt his “America First” agenda.
There are around 395 employees in the NSC, with approximately 180 in support roles. About 90 to 95 government agency experts, who are anticipated to be ousted, will have the chance to return to their home agencies. Many political appointees will be reassigned within the administration.
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The NSC has been in a sustained state of upheaval since the start of Trump’s second term. Waltz was dismissed shortly after Trump let go several NSC officials, following concerns raised by far-right activist Laura Loomer about staff loyalty.
This latest reorganization signifies a downsizing of the NSC staff, with political appointees and personnel assigned to the NSC poised to return to their home agencies or be reassigned within the administration.
Waltz’s brief stint as head of the NSC was fraught with criticism, following revelations that he had added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a secure text conversation discussing a sensitive military operation in Yemen. Despite taking responsibility for the text chain, Waltz denied knowledge of how Goldberg ended up being included.
Loomer’s call for Trump to remove aides deemed insufficiently loyal to the “Make America Great Again” agenda, and her belief that Waltz overly relied on “neocons” and those not aligned enough with the MAGA cause, reflects the skepticism Waltz faced within the MAGA community. Despite sharing Trump’s concerns about military aid to Ukraine, Waltz’s advocacy for diplomatic aloofness towards President Vladimir Putin seemed at odds with Trump’s own views.
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