Latest news with #AndyBaker
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump slashing half of National Security Council staff
President Trump is slashing half of the National Security Council (NSC) staff as part of a restructuring process under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also serving as the acting national security adviser. The administration is downsizing the NSC, made up of top advisers and experts tasked with advising the president on national security and foreign policy matters, by gutting around half of the current 350-person workforce, who will be transferred to other posts with the government, a White House official confirmed to The Hill on Saturday. The shrinking of the NSC, which was made official Friday, is seen by the administration as a way to streamline the process within the agency and allow for national security decision-making to accelerate. 'The right-sizing of the NSC is in line with its original purpose and the president's vision. The NSC will now be better positioned to collaborate with agencies,' Rubio said in a statement to Axios, which first reported on the shake-up. As part of the overhaul, Andy Baker and Robert Gabriel will now work as deputy national security advisers, another source familiar with the matter told The Hill on Saturday. Gabriel was an assistant to the president for policy. Baker will keep working in his post as Vice President Vance's national security adviser while adding the NSC to his portfolio. The restructuring of the NSC comes roughly three weeks after Trump tapped Rubio to replace Mike Waltz as his national security adviser on an interim basis. The president selected Waltz to be the country's next ambassador to the United Nations, a position that will require Senate confirmation. In early April, five NSC staffers were fired after Trump met at the White House with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who during the meeting questioned the aides' loyalty. '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 said at the time. Updated at 12:09 pm. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
National Security Council Will Be Cut by Half
Marco Rubio, the secretary of state who is also serving as the national security adviser, on Friday revealed a significant restructuring of the National Security Council, reducing the size by at least half, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The dramatic changes involve a combination of officials from other agencies returning to their original offices, as well as others being placed on administrative leave, effective immediately, said the person, who was not authorized to speak publicly. Some of the teams on the N.S.C. that focus on specific regions or issues will be gutted, while others will be collapsed and folded into others. Still other teams will cease to exist. Andy Baker, Vice President JD Vance's national security adviser, will serve as the deputy for the reconfigured N.S.C., alongside Robert Gabriel, whose current title is assistant to the president for policy. The changes were reported earlier by Axios. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The dramatic downsizing comports with President Trump's view of how foreign policy debates should be conducted: from the top down, with advisers taking the president's desired outcomes and finding a way to comply with them. Past presidents have used the N.S.C. in different ways, but generally it has served as a coordinating body across departments for key policy discussions and decisions. The N.S.C. has a core staff of presidential appointees supported by dozens of specialists who are detailed — or essentially on loan — from other departments and agencies across the government. Mr. Trump also has held a deep distrust for and suspicion of the N.S.C. since the earliest days of his first term, in 2017. People who have worked for him over time say he believes it was the source of significant undermining of his policy views. Mr. Trump's first of two impeachments involved testimony before Congress from Alexander Vindman, the director of European Affairs at the N.S.C., about the president pressing the then newly elected Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, for an investigation into Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his family. At the time, Mr. Biden was one of Mr. Trump's chief potential rivals in the 2020 election. In early April, Mr. Trump fired several N.S.C. aides after a meeting with the far-right activist Laura Loomer, who presented him with a list of people she suspected of disloyalty.
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Trump's National Security Council trimmed in restructuring, sources say
Why Mike Waltz is out as national security adviser Why Mike Waltz is out as NSA Why Mike Waltz is out as NSA The White House is trimming and restructuring the National Security Council, sources told CBS News on Friday — weeks after President Trump replaced his national security adviser and gave Secretary of State Marco Rubio the powerful post. Some former NSC staff are moving elsewhere inside the administration, but not all, the sources said. Aides were informed of some of the changes in a meeting at the White House on Friday afternoon. Vice President JD Vance's national security adviser Andy Baker is taking a top role in the restructured NSC, two sources said. And White House aide Robert Gabriel is playing a key part in managing the NSC. The NSC's communications team is also dissolving as part of the restructuring. Requests for comment were referred to the White House press team. "It's terrible. Less people means less control of the bureaucracy. The key is getting people who are loyal not less people," one former member of the National Security Council said. The National Security Council advises the president on foreign policy and national security matters. Axios reported on some of the changes earlier Friday. The sudden changes came three weeks after Rubio took over the national security adviser role, replacing Mike Waltz, who was pushed out of the post and nominated ambassador to the United Nations. That move was driven by a perception that Waltz didn't vet staff enough, a lack of fit between Waltz and the rest of the team and Waltz's involvement in setting up a Signal group chat that inadvertently included a reporter, CBS News reported at the time. It's the latest upheaval at Mr. Trump's NSC. Last month, at least a half-dozen staffers were fired shortly after right-wing media personality Laura Loomer accused them of being insufficiently loyal to Mr. Trump, CBS News previously reported. There is no date set for Rubio to depart the dual-hatted national security position. He told CBS News Sunday that he has no departure date or time frame for a departure.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Planning For Auckland's Rapidly Growing ‘Vibrant' South
Article – Torika Tokalau – Local Democracy Reporter A strategy to help support one of Auckland's fastest-growing regions with housing and its thriving farming industry has been approved by Auckland Council. The southern rural areas, which includes the Franklin Ward, are expected to see an increase of 89,900 people, 37,500 households, and 16,500 jobs by 2052. Auckland Council recently approved the new Southern Rural Strategy, which supports the region to accommodate its growing population, while enabling industries like farming and food production to thrive. 'The southern rural area is expected to account for approximately 15 percent of Auckland's overall population growth over the next 30 years,' Franklin Ward Councillor Andy Baker said. The area was one of New Zealand's primary food production regions, with abundant natural resources and some of the most productive land in New Zealand. 'Its strategic location – close to airports, seaport and key export markets – helps to further cultivate these industries.' In a statement, Baker said the strategy provides direction for where housing choices, industries and employment opportunities will grow, 'in a way that supports the area to thrive economically and ecologically'. It includes strengthening the role of Pukekohe and Waiuku as rural service towns, focuses growth in existing urbanised settlements and avoid growth outside settlements, and minimises urban growth where it could have negative impacts on rural production and industries. The strategy also makes sure there is sufficient infrastructure to support new development, support safe access for residential and rural production users with transport and access needs, and celebrates the Māori and Pākehā heritage of towns, villages and other areas. The strategy covers the fullFranklin ward. It also includes some rural land from theHowick, Manurewa,andPapakuralocal board areas. The strategy does not cover the area's quickest growing towns – Drury, Ōpaheke and Pukekohe – which already have community-backed plans to guide their growth. Consultation on the Southern Rural Strategy took place in October to December last year. Deputy chair of Auckland's Policy and Planning Committee, Angela Dalton, said the strategy supports the southern rural area to grow well. 'This is a vibrant region, where traditional industries thrive alongside emerging sectors,' Dalton said. 'The strategy is about balanced growth that minimises the impact on the environment, while improving housing choices and socially connected communities.' By making the most of existing infrastructure, and focusing on projects that deliver multiple benefits, the council was helping set up the region for a resilient and sustainable future, she said.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Planning For Auckland's Rapidly Growing 'Vibrant' South
A strategy to help support one of Auckland's fastest-growing regions with housing and its thriving farming industry has been approved by Auckland Council. The southern rural areas, which includes the Franklin Ward, are expected to see an increase of 89,900 people, 37,500 households, and 16,500 jobs by 2052. Auckland Council recently approved the new Southern Rural Strategy, which supports the region to accommodate its growing population, while enabling industries like farming and food production to thrive. "The southern rural area is expected to account for approximately 15 percent of Auckland's overall population growth over the next 30 years," Franklin Ward Councillor Andy Baker said. The area was one of New Zealand's primary food production regions, with abundant natural resources and some of the most productive land in New Zealand. "Its strategic location - close to airports, seaport and key export markets - helps to further cultivate these industries." In a statement, Baker said the strategy provides direction for where housing choices, industries and employment opportunities will grow, "in a way that supports the area to thrive economically and ecologically". It includes strengthening the role of Pukekohe and Waiuku as rural service towns, focuses growth in existing urbanised settlements and avoid growth outside settlements, and minimises urban growth where it could have negative impacts on rural production and industries. The strategy also makes sure there is sufficient infrastructure to support new development, support safe access for residential and rural production users with transport and access needs, and celebrates the Māori and Pākehā heritage of towns, villages and other areas. The strategy covers the fullFranklin ward. It also includes some rural land from theHowick, Manurewa,andPapakuralocal board areas. The strategy does not cover the area's quickest growing towns - Drury, Ōpaheke and Pukekohe - which already have community-backed plans to guide their growth. Consultation on the Southern Rural Strategy took place in October to December last year. Deputy chair of Auckland's Policy and Planning Committee, Angela Dalton, said the strategy supports the southern rural area to grow well. "This is a vibrant region, where traditional industries thrive alongside emerging sectors," Dalton said. "The strategy is about balanced growth that minimises the impact on the environment, while improving housing choices and socially connected communities." By making the most of existing infrastructure, and focusing on projects that deliver multiple benefits, the council was helping set up the region for a resilient and sustainable future, she said.
