The White House National Security Council (NSC), an integral part of U.S. national security policy, is undergoing a major overhaul as directed by President Donald Trump and his national security adviser, Marco Rubio. On Friday, it was reported that the Trump administration has dismissed dozens of staffers from the NSC, a move aimed at reducing the size and influence of the council.
The downsizing affected a mix of career officials and political appointees, signaling a continued effort by the Trump administration to streamline government operations. The decision, orchestrated by Rubio, who also holds the position of Secretary of State, follows the removal of Michael Waltz from the national security role. Waltz has since been nominated by President Trump to serve as the United Nations ambassador.
Sources familiar with the matter have indicated that this reduction in staff was an anticipated measure, with administration officials previously noting the likelihood of a major scale-down. Critics of the NSC's size argue that it had become bloated, reaching approximately 400 staffers during the Obama administration. The current cuts will bring the NSC back to around the same staff levels as at the end of Trump's first term, aligning with the administration's goal to diminish the council's reach.
The NSC, traditionally staffed by policy experts from various agencies, acts as a principal advisory body to the president on matters of national security and foreign policy. However, under Trump's second term, there has been a noticeable reduction in its role. Instead, the president has relied more heavily on direct counsel from key cabinet members, such as Rubio, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
During his first term, Trump had initiated a similar effort to scale back the NSC, led by his then-national security adviser, Robert O'Brien. O'Brien, who is currently the chairman of American Global Strategies, has publicly addressed the challenge of an oversized NSC with lingering holdovers from previous administrations. In a Washington Times op-ed, O'Brien, along with Alexander Gray, proposed a further reduction in NSC policy staff to as few as 60 people, reminiscent of the size during President Dwight D. Eisenhower's term.
While the NSC experiences its transformation, the Justice Department is also preparing to navigate the legal landscape with a team of lawyers ready to defend Trump's most controversial policies. This includes significant changes to immigration policy and the federal workforce. The department has shown a willingness to part with career attorneys seen as impediments and instead install political appointees more aligned with the president's vision. These appointees are already actively representing the government in court cases, sometimes without the presence of the seasoned attorneys who typically handle significant legal disputes.
The restructuring of the NSC and the proactive legal preparations underscore the administration's efforts to enforce a more conservative approach to governance and policymaking.
