Trump Administration Places Over 100 National Security Council Staffers on Leave During Restructuring

The Trump administration, led by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is undertaking a significant restructuring of the National Security Council (NSC), aiming to reduce its staff from about 350 to fewer than 150 and streamline its operations. This overhaul involves placing over 100 NSC staffers on administrative leave with short notice to clear their desks, reflecting a shift toward a more top-down decision-making process that bypasses the traditional bureaucratic layers. The administration criticizes the NSC's existing bureaucracy as inefficient and contrary to Trump's directive-focused leadership style, emphasizing coordination and advice rather than policy execution. Rubio, serving as interim national security adviser, has been actively involved in re-interviewing NSC staff to determine the appropriate size and structure of the council. These changes mark a reduction in the NSC's role in coordinating foreign policy, consolidating power at the highest levels of the White House. The restructuring follows the departure of former national security adviser Mike Waltz and reflects the administration's intent to align the NSC more closely with Trump's vision and streamline national security operations.