The U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a sweeping overhaul of the National Security Council (NSC), aiming to downsize its staff, remove political appointees seen as disloyal, and align the council more tightly with his “America First” doctrine.

The restructuring, confirmed by two U.S. officials and a source familiar with the matter, comes amid escalating internal tensions within the Trump administration in the early stages of his second term. The move is expected to significantly reduce the NSC’s current staff of nearly 400, including roughly 180 support personnel. Between 90 and 95 policy experts—many of whom are on detail from other government agencies—will be offered the opportunity to return to their home departments, while a number of political appointees are slated for reassignment within the broader administration.

This dramatic downsizing follows the recent removal of National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who has been nominated to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stepped in to fulfill the role, signaling a likely increase in the State Department’s influence over national security policy. The Pentagon is also expected to gain prominence in shaping Trump’s foreign policy agenda.

The overhaul comes on the heels of a string of controversial firings and personnel changes at the NSC. Weeks earlier, several staff members were dismissed following public complaints by far-right commentator Laura Loomer, who questioned the loyalty of NSC personnel to Trump’s MAGA vision. Loomer, a provocateur known for promoting conspiracy theories including QAnon, publicly claimed credit for instigating the firings, further exacerbating tensions within the White House.

The administration also sidelined approximately 160 career officials—often referred to as detailees—while it evaluated staffing for alignment with Trump’s priorities. One insider described the personnel changes as a "liquidation" of the NSC, signaling a drastic break from the agency’s traditional structure.

Among those tapped to assume key roles in the reshaped NSC are Andy Baker, currently national security adviser to Vice President JD Vance, and Robert Gabriel, a top Trump policy aide, both of whom will serve as deputy national security advisers.

Waltz’s departure from the NSC followed several missteps, including a security breach involving journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, who was mistakenly included in a private group text discussing an active military operation in Yemen. While Waltz accepted responsibility, the incident added to growing unease among Trump allies who viewed him as too entrenched in the Washington foreign policy establishment.

Though Waltz shared Trump’s skepticism over the cost of American support for Ukraine, his hawkish views on Iran and China and his aggressive stance toward Russia diverged from Trump’s preferred strategy of diplomatic flexibility and military restraint. His push to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin diplomatically stood in contrast to Trump’s often conciliatory rhetoric toward Moscow.

The restructuring, first reported by Axios, underscores Trump’s lingering frustration from his first term, during which he frequently complained that NSC officials sought to obstruct his foreign policy initiatives. This latest move reflects Trump’s desire to consolidate control, eliminate dissent, and install personnel loyal to his vision for U.S. global engagement.

As the White House moves forward with these changes, observers anicipate continued friction between Trump’s unconventional approach and the longstanding structures of U.S. national security policy. (ILKHA)