Following a meeting with Laura Loomer, a controversial right-wing activist, Donald Trump has dismissed several people from the National Security Council.
National Security Council advisor Michael Volz, one of the most responsible for leaking information about plans to attack the Houthis in Yemen, has so far remained in Trump’s favor, but his associates have not. At least six permanent officials of the White House National Security Council (NSC) have been fired or have resigned.
The first major purge in Donald Trump’s second term occurred immediately after the President’s meeting with Laura Loomer, a controversial right-wing activist. According to information from “The New York Times” and the “Axios” portal, this self-proclaimed investigative journalist, known for spreading conspiracy theories, signaled to President Trump who within his circle was not loyal to him.
The personnel changes in the NSC, which advises the President on important security challenges facing the US, occurred at an uncertain geopolitical moment, the day after the Trump administration imposed tariffs on almost every country in the world and at a time when it is trying to reach an agreement with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine.
At the same time, the Inspector General of the Department of Defense has launched an investigation into how Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth used the encrypted messaging application “Signal” to discuss sensitive information about military operations in Yemen, which was publicly disclosed by the editor-in-chief of “The Atlantic,” Jeffrey Goldberg.
The investigation into the Secretary of Defense’s responsibility is a bipartisan demand from the Senate Armed Services Committee after claims emerged that highly accurate and likely classified intelligence about upcoming US airstrikes in Yemen, including strike times and aircraft models, were shared in a group chat on the “Signal” platform, to which journalist Michael Volz was mistakenly included.
Two administration officials told “The Wall Street Journal” that there had long been an internal campaign to remove NSC officials deemed not sufficiently loyal to Trump’s agenda. As they explain, Volz tried to protect his staff but could not because he no longer has great authority with the President and senior White House officials. NSC spokesman Brian Hughes declined to comment on these findings by American media. The dismissals are linked to the meeting Trump had the day before with Laura Loomer. Asked about the meeting with Laura Loomer, Trump told reporters on Air Force One: “Sometimes I listen to her recommendations, just like I do with everyone. She’s usually very constructive.”
Loomer declined to provide the public with more details about her meeting with the US President. “I was honored to meet with President Trump and present him with my findings. I will continue to work hard to support his agenda and will continue to reiterate the importance of strong vetting to protect the President and our national security,” she posted on X.
Multiple sources indicate that Loomer, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in Florida twice in 2020 and 2022 as a Republican representative, gave the President a list of National Security Council officials whom she believes are not loyal to him.
Laura Loomer (31) is a polarizing figure in Trump’s orbit. He regularly consulted with her during the presidential campaign, but some of Trump’s aides were concerned that she was giving him misinformation. Loomer, who described herself as the “most censored person” in America, has often been in the spotlight for her provocative and sometimes extreme views, particularly against Islam, immigration, and the political left. Due to violations of rules against hate speech and the spread of misinformation, she was removed from numerous social media and financial platforms, from “Twitter” (to which she was reinstated when Elon Musk bought the social network) to “Facebook,” “PayPal,” and “Uber.” She became publicly known for spreading various unverified claims, such as that Kamala Harris is not black and that George Soros’s son is calling for Trump’s assassination.
The Director and Deputy Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), Timothy Haugh and Wendy Noble, have been removed from their positions, a US Department of Defense official announced. It was not immediately clear why General Haugh of the Air Force and his deputy were removed, sources said, according to “NBC News.” The White House and the National Security Council did not respond to a request for comment.
Both Haugh and Noble are long-serving officials. Haugh has more than 30 years of experience in the Air Force, mostly in intelligence and cyber positions, and also holds a degree in Russian studies. Democratic congressmen have sharply criticized the Trump administration for the dismissals.
Last month, a close associate of the US President, Elon Musk, visited the headquarters of the National Security Agency and met with Haugh. That visit came about a week after Musk stated on X that “the NSA should be reformed.”
Source: Politika, Photo: Reuters/ Kevin Lamarque
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