Donald Trump is kinda taking his sweet time naming a permanent replacement for his National Security Adviser. But like, he’s already sent a clear message: the job once held by big shots like Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski won’t matter as much in his administration. Even before he booted Mike Waltz from the post on May 1, the president had cut the staff and influence of the National Security Council, relying instead on his own instincts and a close cadre of loyalists like New York real estate mogul Steve Witkoff for diplomatic missions and key decisions.
On Saturday, Secretary of State — and acting NSC director — Marco Rubio announced that he and Vice President JD Vance had brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan hours after the two countries’ militaries targeted each other’s bases, fueling fears of an all-out war. Trump is trying to juggle resolving wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and the Indian-Pakistani border, expanding US reach from Greenland to Panama, and redrawing the rules of global trade, all while sidelining the NSC. That’s a big deal because the NSC used to be a major player in shaping US foreign policy. But I guess not anymore.
“People like Witkoff and Trump himself are looking at things and saying, I can handle this. I can do this. I don’t need these experts, because the experts were wrong,” said Cedric Leighton, a former senior military intelligence officer. “We’re looking at people who are not necessarily enamored with traditional areas of expertise.” Trump has been talking about getting rid of the “deep state” – the longtime government staff who he thinks are out to get him. He even asks everyone in the room for their opinion on stuff, even if they don’t really know what they’re talking about.
His buddies say the NSC needed to be trimmed down, saying it got too big under past presidents who relied too much on it. “The job of the Secretary of State and State Department is to make foreign policy again, and the NSC should be the interagency implementer of that,” said Mauricio Claver-Carone, the administration’s envoy for Latin America. For now, Trump dumped the national security adviser duties on Rubio’s plate. Rubio joked about it, saying he didn’t know he was signing up for extra work.
Trump said he might take up to six months to find a permanent replacement. Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff who’s apparently the top pick for the job, doesn’t really have much foreign policy experience. But he’s been by Trump’s side for a long time and has been helping with the administration’s crackdown on immigrants. He’s also been chiming in on some policy talks, like plans to attack Yemen’s Houthis.
“The National Security Council works with President Trump’s Cabinet and senior leadership team to implement his national security policy by putting the American people first,” spokesman Brian Hughes said. “The president has assembled an unparalleled team of experts who are making our country safer by carrying out President Trump’s agenda.”
But with the team Trump is leaning on not really prepared, there are worries that the US might make some big mistakes as Trump tries to shake up US foreign policy. The NSC was set up in 1947 to make sure the president considers a bunch of stuff before making decisions. NSC staff usually pull together info from different agencies to help the president make informed choices.
Some top NSC jobs are still vacant, and many mid-level staff have been sent back to their home agencies. A few recent hires got the boot after far-right activist Laura Loomer raised concerns about their loyalty to Trump. The national security adviser role has been different in different administrations. But now, with the NSC taking a backseat in Trump’s administration, who knows what’s gonna happen next.
And that’s kinda where we’re at right now. Not really sure why all this matters, but hey, that’s the news for ya.
