The White House has dismissed several senior National Security Council (NSC) officials amidst growing internal disagreements within President Donald Trump’s team, as reported by multiple sources familiar with the events.
This decision arrived shortly after President Trump reportedly met with Laura Loomer, a far-right activist known for advocating conspiracy theories, to discuss the loyalty of various NSC officials.
Those dismissed include Thomas Boodry, a senior NSC official responsible for legislative affairs who previously worked for National Security Adviser Mike Waltz during his time in Congress; David Feith, who supervised technology and national security; and Brian Walsh, involved in intelligence matters and a former staffer for Secretary of State Marco Rubio when Rubio was in the Senate.
The dismissals underscore ongoing friction between Waltz’s team and the Presidential Personnel Office (PPO), led by Sergio Gor, who formerly served as a spokesperson for Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Tensions stem from disagreements over administration appointments that the PPO considers misaligned with Trump’s foreign policy.
NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes commented, “NSC doesn’t comment on personnel matters,” when questioned about the firings.
The discord between Waltz’s team and the PPO reportedly dates back to Trump’s transition period beginning in November 2024. A source familiar with NSC hiring decisions stated that Gor has blocked Waltz’s picks for key NSC roles, despite their alignment with both Waltz’s and the president’s firm stances on countries like China and Iran.
“It’s astounding to me that Waltz has the trust of the president on national security issues but not the trust to staff his own team,” said one individual, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive White House dynamics.
White House sources have raised concerns that these terminations could hinder Waltz’s efforts to fill the NSC with skilled national security experts, potentially impacting Trump’s foreign policy objectives.
A former Biden national security council official, speaking anonymously to avoid public commentary on Trump’s staffing decisions, remarked, “All these jobs have a real learning curve and pushing a reset will set the Trump team back by months.”
The dismissals occur amid fallout from “Signalgate,” a controversy over NSC officials’ use of the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss U.S. military actions. The issue arose when a journalist from The Atlantic was inadvertently included in a Signal chat discussing sensitive military operations.
National Security Adviser Waltz briefly attended Trump’s meeting with Loomer to defend his team as pressure mounted from the Signal messaging controversy.
The exact link between Loomer’s meeting with Trump and the subsequent dismissals remains uncertain.
Loomer, known for advancing conspiracy theories, allegedly presented Trump with information on NSC staff she deemed insufficiently loyal to his “Make America Great Again” agenda. Sources indicate she had compiled a list of about a dozen officials for potential removal.
Although President Trump denies Loomer’s direct involvement in the dismissals, he has praised her as a “great patriot” and acknowledged occasionally considering personnel recommendations.
In a post on X, Loomer appeared to confirm her meeting with Trump while criticizing leaks about it. She stated she discovered “there are still people in and around the West Wing who are LEAKING to the hostile, left-wing media” regarding Trump’s private Oval Office meetings and advocated for stringent vetting to safeguard the President and national security.
The dismissals occurred one week after Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) publicly defended Deputy National Security Adviser Alex Wong against accusations from Loomer and others, who alleged Wong and his wife were Chinese government agents attempting to undermine the Trump administration – allegations lacking evidence.
Senator Cotton, for whom Wong previously worked, stated on social media that Wong and his wife are “complete and total patriots, 100% MAGA Warriors who always put America First.” He added, “America is safer and better off with Alex in the White House.”
Wong was a primary target for Loomer during her meeting with Trump, but he was not among those dismissed in this round of dismissals.
The White House’s vetting process for administration officials has reportedly intensified during Trump’s current tenure, with the PPO examining applicants for any indications of disloyalty to the president’s agenda. This process includes scrutinizing social media activity and inquiring about political affiliations.
The Pentagon’s acting inspector general has announced a review of Waltz’s and other defense officials’ use of the Signal app for discussing sensitive military operations, further complicating the ongoing turmoil within the national security team.
