Incoming Trump team questions civil servants, security staff about loyalty, political views
The move could potentially lead to a purge of non-aligned staff, and deprive the new administration of valuable expertise
At least some of these non-political employees have begun packing up their belongings since being asked about their loyalty to Trump – after they had earlier been given indications that they would be asked to stay on at the NSC in the new administration, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters.
Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Florida Representative Mike Waltz, in recent days publicly signalled his intention to get rid of all non-political appointees and career intelligence officials serving on the NSC by Inauguration Day to ensure the council is staffed with those who support Trump’s agenda.
A wholesale removal of foreign policy and national security experts from the NSC on Day 1 of the new administration could deprive Trump’s team of considerable expertise and institutional knowledge at a time when the US is grappling with difficult policy challenges in Ukraine, the Middle East and beyond.
Such questioning could also make new policy experts brought in to the NSC less likely to speak up about policy differences and concerns.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan is making a robust case for the incoming Trump administration to hold over career government employees assigned to the NSC at least through the early going of the new administration.
