On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that he had dismissed "some" of the White House National Security Council officials. This decision follows closely after far-right activist Laura Loomer expressed her worries regarding personnel loyalty directly to the president the previous day.
Despite minimizing Loomer's impact on the dismissals, Trump faced pressure from Loomer who used their discussion in the Oval Office to encourage him to remove staff members she considered not adequately committed to his "Make America Great Again" platform. This account comes from multiple sources close to the situation, who requested confidentiality due to the delicate nature of the staffing issue being discussed.
Continuously, we're parting ways with individuals," Trump stated to journalists onboard Air Force One while traveling to Miami on Thursday afternoon. "Individuals who we find unlikable or those whom we believe incapable of performing their duties, or those potentially loyal to someone else.
The dismissals of National Security Council personnel by Trump occur during a chaotic period for both him and his national security team. Following the use of the public but secure Signal application to deliberate plans for the classified March 15 military action against Houthi rebels in Yemen, National Security Adviser Michael A. Waltz has been facing persistent demands for his removal.
Trump has said he stands by Waltz, who traveled to Florida with the president on Thursday for a dinner event ahead of the LIV Golf tournament in Miami.
In the meantime, the acting inspector general at the Pentagon declared on Thursday that they would investigate Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s utilization of Signal for communicating about plans related to the Houthi operations. This investigation will also encompass an examination of how other Department of Defense personnel have been using this widely accessible encrypted application.
Trump grew frustrated when asked about the review.
You’re raising that once more," Trump derided a journalist. "Stop bringing that up. Your editor might think—what a missed opportunity with this story.
The vice president, J.D. Vance, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Waltz, and Sergio Gor, who leads the Presidential Personnel Office, were among those who joined Loomer for the discussion, according to sources.
At least three high-level National Security Council officials and several junior staffers have been dismissed by the Presidential Personnel Office since Wednesday’s meeting involving Loomer, as per sources close to the matter.
The National Security Council officials who were dismissed include Brian Walsh, who was heading up intelligence efforts; Thomas Boodry, serving as a senior director for legislative affairs; and David Feith, acting as a senior director for both technology and national security, confirmed by two individuals aware of the situation.
Laura Loomer is an outstanding patriot," claimed Trump, emphasizing her strength as an individual. He characterized his conversations with the far-right figure as "productive.
Trump admitted that Loomer suggested particular individuals for positions.
Occasionally, I consider those suggestions just as I do for everyone else," Trump stated. "I hear out everybody before making my choice.
Loomer, known for promoting 9/11 conspiracy theories, often appeared on the campaign trail throughout Trump’s successful bid for the presidency in 2024. Recently, she has taken to social media to express her concerns over certain members of Trump’s national security team, whom she believes cannot be relied upon.
It was an honor to meet with President Trump and share my research findings," Loomer stated in a post made on X on Thursday. "I remain dedicated to supporting his initiatives and will keep emphasizing the critical nature of, as well as the requirement for, STRINGENT SCREENING to safeguard both the President of the United States and our nation’s security.
Trump has a long history of elevating and associating with people who trade in falsehoods and conspiracy theories, and he regularly amplifies posts on his social media site shared by those like Loomer, who promotes QAnon, an apocalyptic and convoluted conspiracy theory centered on the belief that Trump is fighting the “deep state.”
Trump's national security team has been through a difficult stretch as officials struggle to answer questions about why they were using the Signal app to discuss planning for an operation targeting Houthi militants instead of using far more secure communication means.
The use of Signal for operation planning came to light because a journalist, The Atlantic magazine’s Jeffrey Goldberg, was mistakenly added to the chain and revealed that Trump’s team used it to discuss the precise timing of the operation, aircraft used to carry out the strikes and more.
Waltz has taken responsibility for building the text chain but has said he does not know how Goldberg ended up being included.
Before Wednesday’s meeting with Trump, Loomer voiced her concerns to supportive members of the administration about being left out of the NSC review process as Waltz assembled his team, according to someone who knows about the situation. Loomer feels that Waltz over-relied on "neocons" during this procedure—referring to the more aggressive neo-conservative elements within the GOP—as well as individuals she saw as not sufficiently aligned with MAGA principles, the source stated.
Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican member of both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence, expressed concern over recent firings within the National Security Council or among its personnel. He noted that this action draws attention "particularly because these individuals are respected members whom we previously valued from our own intelligence community."
In the initial days of Trump's return to Washington, Waltz reassigned approximately 160 non-political detailers from the National Security Council (NSC) back to their respective home agencies. This was done to guarantee that only those at the White House were dedicated to executing Trump’s America First policy agenda.
The shift sidelined non-political specialists on issues ranging from counterterrorism to international climate policies just as the U.S. grapples with various complex foreign affairs, such as disputes in Ukraine and the Middle Eastern region.
Last week, Adam Schleifer, who works as an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, suddenly lost his job via a brief email from the White House personnel office just after Loomer mentioned him online, stated someone knowledgeable about the situation.
___
Lee provided reports from Brussels. Associated Press writer Stephen Groves offered additional reporting.
READ MORE: Trump dismisses multiple national security officials due to trust issues.
CHECK OUT WPTZ: Stay updated with the recent news from Plattsburgh and Burlington. Check out top headline stories along with the most current weather updates available online at your convenience.