President Donald Trump said Thursday that he\u2019s fired \u201csome\u201d White House National Security Council officials, a move that comes a day after far-right activist Laura Loomer raised concerns directly to him about staff loyalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump downplayed Loomer\u2019s influence on the firings. But Loomer during her Oval Office conversation with Trump urged the president to purge staffers she deemed insufficiently loyal to his \u201cMake America Great Again\u201d agenda, according to several people familiar with the matter. They all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlways we\u2019re letting go of people,\u201d Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he made his way to Miami on Thursday afternoon. \u201cPeople that we don\u2019t like or people that we don\u2019t think can do the job or people that may have loyalties to somebody else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Loomer appeared to take credit for the firings in a post late Thursday on X, writing, \u201cYou know how you know the NSC officials I reported to President Trump are disloyal people who have played a role in sabotaging Donald Trump?\u201d She then noted that \u201cthe fired officials\u201d were being defended by Trump critics on CNN and MSNBC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The firings by Trump of NSC staff come at a tumultuous moment for Trump and his national security team. His national security adviser Mike Waltz, continues to fight back calls for his ouster after using the publicly available encrypted Signal app to discuss planning for the sensitive March 15 military operation targeting Houthi militants in Yemen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump has said he stands by Waltz, who traveled to Florida with the president on Thursday for a dinner event ahead of the LIV Golf tournament in Miami.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, The Pentagon\u2019s acting inspector general announced Thursday that he would review Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth\u2019s use of Signal to convey plans on the Houthi operations. The review will also look at other defense officials\u2019 use of the publicly available encrypted app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump grew frustrated when asked about the review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re bringing that up again,\u201d Trump scoffed at a reporter. \u201cDon\u2019t bring that up again. Your editor\u2019s probably\u2014that\u2019s such a wasted story.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vice President JD Vance, chief of staff Susie Wiles, Waltz and Sergio Gor, director of the Presidential Personnel Office, also took part in the meeting with Loomer, the people said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Presidential Personnel Office has fired at least three senior NSC officials and multiple lower-ranking aides since Wednesday\u2019s meeting with Loomer, according to the people familiar with the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The NSC officials fired include Brian Walsh, a director for intelligence; Thomas Boodry, a senior director for legislative affairs; and David Feith, a senior director for technology and national security, according two people familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLaura Loomer is a very good patriot. She is a very strong person,\u201d said Trump, who described his talks with the far-right activist as \u201cconstructive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump acknowledged that Loomer \u201crecommended certain people for jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSometimes I listen to those recommendations like I do with everybody,\u201d Trump said. \u201cI listen to everybody than I make a decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Loomer, who has promoted 9\/11 conspiracy theories, was a frequent presence on the campaign trail during Trump\u2019s 2024 successful White House run. More recently, she\u2019s been speaking out on social media about members of Trump\u2019s national security team that she insists can\u2019t be trusted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was an honor to meet with President Trump and present him with my research findings,\u201d Loomer said in a Thursday posting on X. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump has a long history of elevating and associating with people who trade in falsehoods and conspiracy theories, and he regularly amplifies posts on his social media site shared by those like Loomer, who promotes QAnon, an apocalyptic and convoluted conspiracy theory centered on the belief that Trump is fighting the \u201cdeep state.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump\u2019s national security team has been through a difficult stretch as officials struggle to answer questions about why they were using the Signal app to discuss planning for an operation targeting Houthi militants instead of using far more secure communication means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The use of Signal for operation planning came to light because a journalist, The Atlantic magazine\u2019s Jeffrey Goldberg, was mistakenly added to the chain and revealed that Trump\u2019s team used it to discuss precise timing of the operation, aircraft used to carry out the strikes and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Waltz has taken responsibility for building the text chain but has said he does not know how Goldberg ended up being included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Pentagon\u2019s acting inspector general announced Thursday that he would review Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth\u2019s use of Signal to convey plans on the Houthi operations. The review will also look at other defense officials\u2019 use of the publicly available encrypted app.<\/p>\n\n\n