President Trump’s bold move to gut the National Security Council staff has Washington buzzing. Over 100 aides are getting the boot, halving a team critics call bloated and out of touch. Is this a masterstroke against the “Deep State” or a gamble with America’s safety?
Fox News reported that the White House is slashing the NSC’s 350-person roster, sending career diplomats back to their agencies and reassigning political appointees elsewhere in the administration.
This “right-sizing,” as officials call it, aims to streamline a body long accused of bureaucratic bloat. Critics, though, warn it could cripple the NSC’s ability to tackle global crises like Iran’s nuclear ambitions or China’s military flexing.
The shake-up follows the exit of national security advisor Mike Waltz, whose departure was hastened by a leaked Signal chat dubbed “Signalgate.” His deputy, Alex Wong, also left, leaving a leadership void. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, doubling as interim national security advisor, is steering the cuts as of April 17, 2025.
Rubio’s overhaul didn’t spare senior directors like Eric Trager, who worked on Iran talks, or Andrew Peek, a key player in the Russia-Ukraine strategy.
Both were axed, signaling a no-nonsense approach to aligning the NSC with Trump’s vision. “I think he wants people to bring decisions to him earlier,” said Michael Allen, a former NSC senior director, hinting at Trump’s hands-on style.
Allen’s comment suggests efficiency, but it sidesteps a bigger issue: fewer staff means less expertise. The NSC’s job is to wrangle agencies like the State Department and Pentagon into lockstep with the president’s agenda. With half the team gone, that herding-cats task just got tougher.
Victoria Coates, a former Trump deputy national security advisor, defends the cuts, saying, “This happens naturally on NSCs.” She argues the Biden-era NSC was an anomaly, ballooning into a stagnant beast. But her rosy view glosses over the risk of understaffing a body meant to navigate a world on fire.
Coates also pointed to “Signalgate” as a catalyst, noting, “The situation with Signalgate was a problem for NSA Waltz.” The scandal eroded trust, and Trump’s response was to clean house, ensuring the NSC reflects his priorities. Yet, purging dissenters doesn’t guarantee better outcomes—it might just create echo chambers.
New deputy national security advisors Andy Barker and Robert Gabriel are stepping up, tasked with filling the gaps. Barker, tied to Vice President JD Vance, and Gabriel, a policy assistant to Trump, are loyalists expected to execute orders, not debate them. “Rather than preparing options for him, they should take his direction,” Coates said, revealing a top-down ethos.
Coates’ directive sounds decisive, but it raises red flags. A lean NSC might move faster, but as she admitted, “If you take it down too far, it’s not going to have the manpower to implement those directions.” Translation: Good luck getting the Pentagon to play ball without enough staff to crack the whip.
With a slimmer NSC, Trump will lean on Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard for daily briefings.
This tight circle could sharpen focus—or blind spots if dissenting voices are sidelined. “One thing that makes this administration unique is that it’s the president himself and a small circle of advisors who truly matter,” said Brian Katulis, a former NSC official.
Katulis’ observation cuts both ways: a small team might be nimble, but it risks groupthink. He added, “They just don’t see the need for ongoing interagency meetings.” Ditching those meetings might save time, but it could leave agencies like the State Department singing off-key.
Alex Gray, another former Trump NSC official, cheered the downsizing, saying, “The NSC under Democratic presidents grows to 300, 400 people.” He claims it becomes “its department,” hogging power. Gray’s right that bloat is real, but slashing staff to prove a point feels like throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Gray argued, “You don’t need hundreds of people” to advise the president and implement his decisions. He even suggested the NSC could shrink further and still function. But global challenges—Ukraine’s war, China’s saber-rattling—demand bandwidth, and a skeleton crew might buckle under pressure.
