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White House Shake-Up: Trump Reportedly Fires National Security Council Staff After Loomer Meeting
In a significant development at the White House, former President Donald Trump has reportedly dismissed several individuals from his National Security Council (NSC) team. This action follows a controversial meeting with far-right influencer Laura Loomer and comes amidst scrutiny surrounding National Security Advisor Michael Waltz after a Signal chat incident.
NSC Staffers Dismissed Following Security Breach and Loomer’s Intervention
DailyMail.com has confirmed reports of the dismissals, initially brought to light by Axios. The personnel changes are occurring in the wake of an incident where National Security Advisor Michael Waltz inadvertently included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, in a secure Signal messaging group. This group was being used by senior administration officials to discuss a sensitive operation concerning an attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
‘Signalgate’ Fallout and Loomer’s Visit to Oval Office
Despite public expressions of support for Waltz from Trump after the “Signalgate” affair, some sources within the White House reportedly labeled Waltz as incompetent. Simultaneously, The New York Times reported that Laura Loomer, a known far-right conspiracy theorist, visited the Oval Office on Wednesday. During this visit, she allegedly advocated for the removal of NSC personnel.
Loomer Presents ‘Research’ Alleging Disloyalty
Loomer arrived at the White House with what she described as research. This research purportedly indicated that certain NSC staff members lacked sufficient loyalty to the former president. Loomer declined to provide specific details about her Oval Office conversation with Trump when contacted by DailyMail.com.
“Out of respect for President Trump and the privacy of the Oval Office, I’m going to decline on divulging any details about my Oval Office meeting with President Trump,” Loomer stated. “It was an honor to meet with President Trump and present him with my research findings. I will continue working hard to support his agenda, and I will continue reiterating the importance of strong vetting, for the sake of protecting the President and our national security,” she added.
President Donald Trump has reportedly dismissed members of National Security Advisor Michael Waltz’s team after a meeting with Laura Loomer in the Oval Office.
Waltz Defends Team, NSC Remains Mum
According to The Times, Waltz participated in the meeting and defended his team members. Official comment from NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes was limited, stating, “NSC doesn’t comment on personnel matters.”
Identified Staffers Terminated Amidst Internal Conflict
However, CNN has reported the identities of the dismissed officials as Brian Walsh, Thomas Boodry, and David Feith. The network further suggested that these terminations were a direct consequence of Trump’s discussion with Loomer. Notably, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent ally of Trump in Congress, had previously attempted to distance herself and MAGA from Loomer.
Despite this, Loomer has maintained influence within Trump’s inner circle.
Profiles of Axed Officials: Intelligence, Legislative Affairs, and Technology
The officials removed from their positions include Brian Walsh, formerly Director for Intelligence, who previously served under Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Thomas Boodry, Waltz’s former legislative director in Congress, held the position of Senior Director for Legislative Affairs at the NSC. David Feith was responsible for overseeing technology and national security matters, having previously worked at the State Department during Trump’s initial term in office.
Loomer Targeted Deputy Advisor Over Alleged Ties
Loomer had reportedly focused her efforts on ousting Alex Wong, Waltz’s deputy, who was specifically named in the Houthi Signal chat incident. She publicly questioned Wong’s loyalty, citing his wife’s past employment within the Department of Justice during the Obama and Biden administrations and her father’s alleged shareholder status in a Chinese satellite manufacturing company.