President Trump is making good on his promises to ādrain the swampā and cut Obama-era holdovers from his staffs, especially the critical and recently controversial National Security Council.
Source: Bigger than Vindman: Trump scrubs 70 Obama holdovers from NSC
Officials confirmed that Trump and national security adviser Robert OāBrien have cut 70 positions inherited from former President Barack Obama, who had fattened the staff to 200.
Many were loaners from other agencies and have been sent back. Others left government work.
The NSC, which is the presidentās personal staff, was rockedĀ when a āwhistleblowerāĀ leveled charges that led to Trumpās impeachment.
….was given a horrendous report by his superior, the man he reported to, who publicly stated that Vindman had problems with judgement, adhering to the chain of command and leaking information. In other words, āOUTā.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2020
Last week, one key official who testified against Trump at a House hearing on the Ukraine affair that led to impeachment was sent packing.Ā Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman was returnedĀ to the Pentagon. His twin brother, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, was also given the boot. Trump had expressed displeasure that Alexander Vindman hadĀ testified againstĀ him when the Ukraine specialist said he did not like the phone conversation between the president and a newly elected president of Ukraine.
Since entering the White House, Trump has relied on staffs smaller than previous administrations and has noted how prior presidents had a much smaller NSC team.
OāBrien recently said that former President George W. Bush handled the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with 100 NSC aides, a model he is instituting.
āThis month, we will complete the right-sizing goal Ambassador OāBrien outlined in October, and in fact, may exceed that target by drawing down even more positions,ā John Ullyot, the NSCās senior director for strategic communications, told Secrets.
