WASHPost Exclusive: Trump Administration Asks National Security Council Staff About Loyalty, Political Donations, and Social Media Posts
Incoming senior officials in the Trump administration have begun questioning career civil servants at the White House National Security Council (NSC) about their political leanings, political contributions, and social media posts, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.
The questioning has already led some of these non-political employees to pack up their belongings and depart the NSC, as they had previously been assured they would be allowed to stay on at the NSC in the new administration.
The move is part of an effort by the Trump administration to rid the NSC of career appointees and bring in new personnel who are “100 percent aligned with the president’s agenda,” according to Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser.
Waltz has stated that he intends to get rid of all non-political appointees and career intelligence officials serving on the NSC by Inauguration Day to ensure the council is staffed with those who support Trump’s agenda.
However, experts are warning that this could have serious consequences for the country, as the NSC is staffed with experienced foreign policy and national security experts who have worked on sensitive issues, including Ukraine, the Middle East, and beyond.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has spoken out in support of retaining career government employees at the NSC, calling them “patriots” who have served “without fear or favor for both Democratic and Republican administrations.” Sullivan also pointed out that the NSC staff is composed of subject-matter experts from various federal agencies, including the State Department, FBI, and CIA, who have been loaned to the White House for temporary duty that typically lasts one to two years.
The Trump transition team has also been vetting civil servants, inquiring about their political affiliations, political contributions, and social media posts, according to another U.S. official. Some officials have been asked to provide information about their political views, with one official reporting that they were asked if they “voted for the president-elect,” according to a whistleblower.
This move has raised concerns about the potential for a chill on dissent and a lack of diversity of thought within the administration. As Rep. Gerry Connolly, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said, “Vetting that threatens our national security and our ability to respond quickly and effectively to the ongoing and very real global threats in a dangerous world.”
The Trump administration’s efforts to purge the NSC of career employees have also been criticized by Alexander Vindman, a former NSC official who was a whistleblower in the Trump-Ukraine scandal. Vindman stated that the approach “will have a chilling effect on senior policy staff across the government” and could lead to talented professionals leaving the government or self-censoring their views.
