Trump restructures the National Security Council and reduces its influence.. Wide-scale dismissals among its staff.

President Donald Trump fired dozens of employees working in the National Security Council at the White House on Friday, May 23, as part of a comprehensive plan to restructure the council and reduce its role in shaping national security policies.

Five informed sources, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, revealed that the dismissals targeted specialized employees in sensitive issues, notably related to Ukraine and Kashmir, indicating a shift in U.S. administration's geopolitical priorities.

This move comes shortly after the appointment of Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a national security advisor, replacing Mike Waltz. Observers suggest that the leadership change reflects a trend towards centralizing decision-making and adopting firmer policies within the administration.

The expected restructuring operations are likely to significantly reduce the influence of the National Security Council, transforming it from an active policy-making body to an executive entity directly following the president's agenda.

This step will also allow the Departments of State and Defense, as well as intelligence agencies, to play larger roles in managing national security and diplomatic files.

According to four other sources, the Trump administration plans to reduce the number of council employees to around 50, after exceeding 300 during the tenure of the former Democratic President Joe Biden. The number of employees had already dropped to less than half before the recent dismissals.

Informed sources described the atmosphere inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building as tense, with some dismissed employees breaking down in tears as they left their offices. Conversely, two sources indicated that some staff members will be relocated to other positions within the government.

Three sources confirmed that specialized departments in African affairs and coordination with international organizations like NATO may lose their independence or be merged into other entities as part of the comprehensive change plan.