According to two US officials and another source familiar with the matter, numerous officials at the National Security Council at the White House were placed on administrative leave on Friday as part of a restructuring under the Trump administration. Rubio is serving as interim national security adviser and secretary of state.
An earlier article in AWN mentioned that the organization responsible for guiding the president’s foreign policy agenda was about to undergo a major shakeup, with fewer employees and a stronger emphasis on a top-down strategy with decision-making centralized at the highest echelons.
The officials were reportedly given less than an hour to clear their desks, according to two sources.
Those placed on leave include both long-serving bureaucrats and political appointees appointed by Trump.
Rumor has it that the Office of the Presidential Personnel has been re-interviewing staff members in recent weeks as part of its reorganization. According to one source, one of the questions addressed was on the officials’ opinions on the right size of the NSC.
Coordination of the president’s foreign policy agenda is usually handled by the National Security Council, which is staffed by specialists in foreign policy from throughout the United States government.
However, the National Security Council’s (NSC) influence has been curbed by President Trump, and the impending reform is anticipated to significantly limit its significance inside the administration.
