Several members of the White House National Security Council were dismissed on Thursday, a day after President Trump met with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who questioned the loyalty of some staffers.
According to a source who spoke to NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer, a total of at least five individuals were terminated — three holding senior positions and two others in junior roles.
Those removed from their posts include Brian Walsh, who was the senior director of intelligence; Thomas Boodry, who led legislative affairs; and David Geuth, who was responsible for technology and national security matters.
The firings came shortly after a Wednesday meeting in the Oval Office between Trump and Loomer, during which she reportedly voiced concerns about certain employees not being fully supportive of the president’s platform. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz were also in attendance, sources confirmed to The Hill.
Axios was the first to disclose that “several members” of the National Security Council had been let go on Thursday.
Boodry previously served as a congressional staffer under Waltz, while Feith held a position at the State Department during Trump’s initial time in office.
“NSC doesn’t comment on personnel matters,” spokesperson Brian Hughes said in a statement.
Loomer acknowledged on X that she had met with the president but chose not to elaborate, saying she wanted to maintain discretion out of respect for Trump and the confidentiality of the meeting.
“It was an honor to meet with President Trump and present him with my research findings,” Loomer posted. “I will continue working hard to support his agenda, and I will continue reiterating the importance of, and the necessity of STRONG VETTING, for the sake of protecting the President of the United States of America, and our national security.”
Loomer has also publicly expressed concerns about Ivan Kanapathy, who oversees Asian affairs on the NSC. Though Kanapathy held a similar role during Trump’s earlier administration, Loomer has pointed to his links to a company that also employed ex-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and former CIA Director Michael Morell.
Another target of criticism among Trump supporters is Alex Wong, who holds the role of deputy national security adviser.
As of now, it’s unclear whether either Kanapathy or Wong were among those let go on Thursday.
Early in Trump’s second term, Waltz called for a comprehensive evaluation of NSC staff to identify and remove those who might not fully back the administration’s objectives.
Waltz has recently come under scrutiny for his involvement in a private Signal group chat where officials discussed strategies for striking Houthi targets. Controversy erupted when he mistakenly added The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to the chat.
The incident sparked criticism from some conservatives, who labeled the blunder careless and questioned why Waltz even had Goldberg’s contact. Some have also resurfaced past policy disputes between Waltz and Trump as cause for concern.
{Matzav.com}