The new leadership of the United States National Security Council (NSC) has suspended dozens of officials responsible for policies concerning Ukraine, Iran, and North Korea, according to The Washington Post, citing informed sources.
The publication reports that Brian McCormack, Chief of Staff to the President’s National Security Advisor, held a brief meeting on January 22. During the meeting, he informed officials that they must immediately leave the building, return home, and remain available for contact. McCormack clarified that the employees could only return to work upon orders from leaders appointed by Donald Trump.
The decision was made so abruptly that some employees could not leave the White House complex through normal procedures: their access passes were deactivated. According to the source, Secret Service personnel had to manually open gates for them. Given the classified nature of NSC operations, the officials sent home will not be able to work remotely. The source also emphasized that the staff shortage could complicate the resolution of critical security issues.
According to NSC representative Brian Hughes, Presidential Advisor Michael Waltz initiated a “comprehensive review” of employees overseeing various areas. The review is intended to confirm their readiness to align with the “America First” policy promoted by the Trump administration. Hughes specified that the reviews began immediately after the inauguration on January 20.
