President Donald Trump has adopted a markedly centralised approach to national-security decision-making, diminishing the role of the White House National Security Council (NSC) and relying on a small circle of senior advisers, according to reporting in the Wall Street Journal and other outlets.
The NSC’s staff has been reduced to fewer than 150 officials, compared with roughly 400 under previous administrations, the Journal reported on Sunday.
The reorganisation follows a series of consequential moves this summer. On 21–22 June, the United States joined Israeli operations by striking Iran’s principal nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. In a televised address, Mr Trump described the attacks as a “spectacular military success” and warned Tehran of further action if it did not agree to talks. Reuters reported that B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles were used, and that Washington conveyed to Iran that it was not seeking regime change.
Diplomatic channels appeared to struggle to keep pace. The Journal said some US diplomats who would ordinarily be briefed on such actions were left without talking points after the Iran strikes, prompting questions from Middle Eastern governments about US intentions. A White House spokesperson characterised the administration’s method as deliberate streamlining. “It is a top-down approach,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in June, adding that the NSC had been reorganised “to streamline [its] efficiency and effectiveness”.
Ms Leavitt later told the Journal the administration’s priority was to “get a job done”, remarks widely interpreted as reflecting the shift away from the NSC-led coordination model favoured by recent presidents. Separately, David Rothkopf, an author of a history of the NSC, said that “in many respects, the national security process has ceased to exist,” arguing that the centre of gravity has moved into the President’s immediate circle.
Personnel changes have reinforced that direction. In early May, Mr Trump removed National Security Adviser Mike Waltz after roughly three months in post and asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to assume the national-security adviser’s duties on an acting basis. Mr Waltz was simultaneously nominated for a senior diplomatic role. Reassignment followed controversy over messaging-app discussions of military options and disagreements on Iran policy. Mr Rubio was sworn in as Secretary of State on 21 January, and State Department and White House records confirm his tenure.
The more concentrated structure has at times produced friction with departments and allies. In July, the Pentagon temporarily paused certain weapons shipments to Ukraine during a stockpile review — a move that surprised other parts of government and was quickly reversed after Mr Trump intervened. The sequence prompted questions in Washington and European capitals about internal coordination.
Supporters of the changes argue that a slimmer NSC and a tighter advisory circle accelerate decisions and align the bureaucracy with the President’s agenda at a time of multiple crises. The Journal has previously reported that dozens of NSC staffers were reassigned to their home agencies in May as part of the overhaul. The Guardian reported the staff target was around 150, with several committees cut.
Critics counter that the reduced process limits exposure to specialist advice and increases the risk of missteps. They point to instances in which embassies and regional partners sought clarification on US intentions following rapid policy shifts or military actions. While the White House rejects the characterisation of disorder, insisting the approach is purposeful and efficient, outside observers note that recent episodes — from the Iran strikes to the brief Ukraine shipment pause — have required subsequent clarification.
The recalibration of the NSC comes as the administration manages simultaneous files in the Middle East, Ukraine and Latin America, and as Congress and allied governments assess the implications of the new decision-making model.
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