Greg Myrie

So dozens of staffers at the National Security Council were abruptly dismissed on Friday afternoon. They were informed at 4.30 p.m. and told to leave by 5. This comes from sources who spoke with our NPR colleagues Tom Bowman and Franco Ordonez. Now, the White House has not commented, so we don't have details or know the precise motive, but attention is certainly focused on Marco Rubio.

So dozens of staffers at the National Security Council were abruptly dismissed on Friday afternoon. They were informed at 4.30 p.m. and told to leave by 5. This comes from sources who spoke with our NPR colleagues Tom Bowman and Franco Ordonez. Now, the White House has not commented, so we don't have details or know the precise motive, but attention is certainly focused on Marco Rubio.

So dozens of staffers at the National Security Council were abruptly dismissed on Friday afternoon. They were informed at 4.30 p.m. and told to leave by 5. This comes from sources who spoke with our NPR colleagues Tom Bowman and Franco Ordonez. Now, the White House has not commented, so we don't have details or know the precise motive, but attention is certainly focused on Marco Rubio.

He was and is Secretary of State. Then at the beginning of this month, as you noted, Trump dismissed his national security advisor, Mike Waltz, and gave Rubio that job as well. This means Rubio is responsible for this National Security Council, and we're seeing this shake up just three weeks after he was put in charge.

He was and is Secretary of State. Then at the beginning of this month, as you noted, Trump dismissed his national security advisor, Mike Waltz, and gave Rubio that job as well. This means Rubio is responsible for this National Security Council, and we're seeing this shake up just three weeks after he was put in charge.

He was and is Secretary of State. Then at the beginning of this month, as you noted, Trump dismissed his national security advisor, Mike Waltz, and gave Rubio that job as well. This means Rubio is responsible for this National Security Council, and we're seeing this shake up just three weeks after he was put in charge.

Yeah, so the NSC works out of the White House. It has 200 to 300 staffers, depending on the presidential administration. It plays a key role in developing and implementing the president's foreign policy, even though we don't hear a lot about it. Many of these staffers are on loan from other departments, the Pentagon, the State Department, the CIA. The NSC has grown over the years.

Yeah, so the NSC works out of the White House. It has 200 to 300 staffers, depending on the presidential administration. It plays a key role in developing and implementing the president's foreign policy, even though we don't hear a lot about it. Many of these staffers are on loan from other departments, the Pentagon, the State Department, the CIA. The NSC has grown over the years.

Yeah, so the NSC works out of the White House. It has 200 to 300 staffers, depending on the presidential administration. It plays a key role in developing and implementing the president's foreign policy, even though we don't hear a lot about it. Many of these staffers are on loan from other departments, the Pentagon, the State Department, the CIA. The NSC has grown over the years.

There are periodic calls to scale it back. One of Trump's national security advisors in his first term, Robert O'Brien, recently wrote this in an op-ed. One source, for example, told NPR that the Middle East section at the NSC is being reduced from 10 staffers to five.

There are periodic calls to scale it back. One of Trump's national security advisors in his first term, Robert O'Brien, recently wrote this in an op-ed. One source, for example, told NPR that the Middle East section at the NSC is being reduced from 10 staffers to five.

There are periodic calls to scale it back. One of Trump's national security advisors in his first term, Robert O'Brien, recently wrote this in an op-ed. One source, for example, told NPR that the Middle East section at the NSC is being reduced from 10 staffers to five.

So it appears to be an attempt to streamline the national security process, though, again, we don't know precisely because it was done without notice or explanation.

So it appears to be an attempt to streamline the national security process, though, again, we don't know precisely because it was done without notice or explanation.

So it appears to be an attempt to streamline the national security process, though, again, we don't know precisely because it was done without notice or explanation.

Well, Scott, I think at this point we can say what we're seeing is very unusual arrangements on the national security team. Marco Rubio has these dual roles, which is very rare. His stock seems to be on the rise with Trump. Yet some of the biggest foreign policy matters, Trump has turned to Steve Witkoff, his longtime friend from his New York real estate days.

Well, Scott, I think at this point we can say what we're seeing is very unusual arrangements on the national security team. Marco Rubio has these dual roles, which is very rare. His stock seems to be on the rise with Trump. Yet some of the biggest foreign policy matters, Trump has turned to Steve Witkoff, his longtime friend from his New York real estate days.

Well, Scott, I think at this point we can say what we're seeing is very unusual arrangements on the national security team. Marco Rubio has these dual roles, which is very rare. His stock seems to be on the rise with Trump. Yet some of the biggest foreign policy matters, Trump has turned to Steve Witkoff, his longtime friend from his New York real estate days.

Witkoff had no national security experience, and yet he's the point man on the Iran nuclear negotiations. He's also the main negotiator in the U.S. efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. So at this point, the Trump administration still feels like it's working out some of these arrangements on the fly.

Witkoff had no national security experience, and yet he's the point man on the Iran nuclear negotiations. He's also the main negotiator in the U.S. efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. So at this point, the Trump administration still feels like it's working out some of these arrangements on the fly.