Rubio Confirms Trump Is ‘Right-Sizing’ National Security Council Amid Reports of Staff Cuts

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that the Trump administration is “right-sizing” the National Security Council (NSC), offering the first on-the-record statement about what appears to be a significant restructuring of the influential White House body. “The right-sizing of the NSC is in line with its original purpose and the president’s vision,” Rubio told Axios in a statement on May 23. “The NSC will now be better positioned to collaborate with agencies.” The comment from Rubio—who is serving as national security adviser following Mike Waltz’s exit from the role earlier this month—comes amid speculative media reports that President Donald Trump has ordered a sweeping overhaul of the NSC that will reduce its size, shift many career staff back to their home agencies, and remove several political appointees....