In a dramatic shake-up of White House operations, President Donald Trump has removed dozens of staff members from the National Security Council in what one insider described as a “liquidation.”

The administration's effort marks a significant reduction in the size and scope of the NSC as part of Trump's broader plan to scale back the federal government, as Newsweek reports.

The downsizing, which began following recent leadership changes, has impacted both permanent staff and detail employees who were temporarily assigned to the NSC.

Many of those who were dismissed or placed on administrative leave were told to vacate their offices swiftly.

NSC Chief of Staff Brian McCormack reportedly informed affected employees that they had 30 minutes to collect their belongings and exit the building next to the White House.

Staff reductions hit NSC’s China team

Among those affected were members of the NSC’s China-related team. Although much of that unit has been reduced, Ivan Kanapathy, senior director for Asia, remains in his role. Approximately 160 aides overall have been placed on administrative leave while the White House evaluates staffing needs moving forward.

The restructuring follows Trump’s removal of Mike Waltz as national security adviser, a move triggered by controversy surrounding his involvement in a controversial Signal chat group. Waltz had served as the top NSC official during key phases of recent policy development.

Trump later nominated Waltz to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, signaling a shift in the administration’s approach to national security leadership rather than a complete dismissal of the former congressman from governmental service.

Leadership shake-ups alter advisory roles

With Waltz out of his NSC role, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has temporarily assumed responsibilities as acting national security adviser. This transition adds to a broader reshuffling of national security personnel during Trump’s current term in office.

Trump’s reduction plan appears aimed at reversing expansion efforts made under the previous administration. According to Dennis Wilder, a former senior NSC official during the George W. Bush presidency, the Biden-era NSC had grown significantly and had begun taking an active policy role rather than its traditional function as a coordinator.

“There is no question that the NSC in the Biden administration had become bloated,” Wilder said. He explained that the council was “high-handedly trying to implement foreign policy rather than focusing on coordination, as originally intended.

Reports confirm overhaul's broad scope

Multiple major news outlets, including CNN, the Financial Times, and Axios, have confirmed the sweeping changes at the NSC. The restructuring has reportedly touched nearly every department within the council, with many career professionals being directed to return to their original agencies.

Conservative media figure Laura Loomer has been speculated to have influenced some of these firings, though President Trump has publicly denied that she played any role in decision-making related to staffing changes. The White House has not offered an official explanation for the timing or scope of the overhaul.

Newsweek reached out to the White House, NSC, and State Department for comment late Friday, outside regular business hours, and had not received a response at the time of reporting.

Reduced NSC functioning raises future questions

The magnitude of staff dismissals has raised questions about the operational effectiveness of the NSC moving forward.

While the council will remain active, its capacity to perform key coordination and advisory functions may be limited in the short term.

Trump’s intentions align with his long-stated goal of limiting the size of the federal bureaucracy. The substantial reshuffling of the NSC represents one of the most significant institutional reductions of his presidency thus far.

As the administration evaluates the future structure of the NSC, officials have indicated that additional changes could follow. For now, many of those once central to national security planning are no longer sitting inside the council’s offices.