Trump National Security Council staffers purged, U.S. officials say
At least six staffers at the National Security Council have been fired, with more firings expected, multiple U.S. officials with knowledge tell CBS News.
The sources were granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak with the press.
The firings came after right-wing personality Laura Loomer visited the Oval Office on Wednesday and presented President Trump with opposition research on NSC staffers whom she views as neoconservatives or not sufficiently loyal to the president, one of the sources said. The president told reporters Thursday that he saw Loomer on Wednesday, although he claimed she had nothing to do with the firings at NSC.
Asked about the NSC firings, Mr. Trump said his administration will “always” fire people.
“Always, we’re going to let go of people, people we don’t like” or who can’t do the job or “may have loyalties” to someone else, the president said.
Sources said those fired include Brian Walsh, senior director for intelligence; Thomas Boodry, senior director for legislative affairs; and David Feith, another senior director.
CBS News has reached out to Walsh, Feith and Boodry for comment.
One source said Loomer is also targeting Alex Wong, national security adviser Mike Waltz’s deputy. On X last week, Loomer questioned the loyalty of Wong and his wife, a Department of Justice employee.
NSC spokesman Brian Hughes declined to comment.
“NSC doesn’t comment on personnel matters,” Hughes told CBS News.
Waltz has been under scrutiny in the wake of his apparent inadvertent inclusion of Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal conversation about Yemen attack plans.
A source familiar with the situation said the Signal incident “opened the door” to start reviewing all protocol, including staffers who aren’t believed to be sufficiently aligned with the president. The material Loomer presented sealed the fate for the staffers who were terminated, but the conversations about their status had already begun, the source said. The administration has been looking at who NSC staffers have met with and reprimanding staffers for meeting with people not believed to be aligned with the president.
