Trump fires three National Security officials amid loyalty purge

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President Donald Trump has made it clear he will remove staff he perceives as disloyal, following the firing of at least three officials from the White House National Security Council (NSC).

“We’re always going to let go of people—people we don’t like or people that take advantage of, or people that may have loyalties to someone else,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. He did not confirm specific names but emphasized his willingness to take action against those who, in his view, fail to align with his administration’s goals.

The decision to remove the officials came after Trump met with far-right activist Laura Loomer on Wednesday. Loomer reportedly urged the president to dismiss employees she believed were not fully supportive of his agenda. More firings are expected, though the White House declined to comment on the matter, stating that the NSC “won’t comment on personnel” issues.

Among those dismissed on Thursday were Brian Walsh, director for intelligence; Thomas Boodry, senior director for legislative affairs; and David Feith, senior director overseeing technology and national security, according to CBS. Their removal follows a controversy last month involving the NSC, in which senior officials mistakenly added a journalist to a Signal messaging thread discussing military strikes in Yemen. It remains unclear if that incident directly influenced the firings, but sources suggest it opened the door for a broader review of staff loyalty.

Trump has so far stood by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who took responsibility for the Signal mishap and called it an accident. However, CBS reports that the administration has been scrutinizing national security staff’s external meetings, reprimanding those who have engaged with individuals deemed not fully aligned with the president. A source familiar with the matter said Loomer’s visit “sealed the fate” of the terminated officials.

Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Miami, Trump praised Loomer as a “great patriot” and a “very strong person,” confirming their meeting. “She makes recommendations… sometimes I listen to those recommendations,” he said. “I listen to everybody and then I make a decision.” Loomer declined to disclose details of her conversation with the president, telling the BBC, “It was a confidential meeting. It’s a shame that there are still leakers at the White House who leaked this information.”

In a statement sent via text message, she said, “It was an honor to meet with President Trump and present him with my research findings. I will continue working hard to support his agenda, and I will continue reiterating the importance of STRONG VETTING, for the sake of protecting the President of the United States of America and our national security.”

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who posted information in the Signal chat, is now under internal review for his use of the encrypted messaging app and whether he adhered to department policies, according to the Pentagon’s acting inspector general. Inspector general offices routinely conduct independent investigations into potential security breaches and compliance issues within federal agencies.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has moved swiftly to remove government watchdogs, replacing inspectors general at the Defense, Commerce, Labor, and Health departments with acting heads. His latest moves signal an ongoing effort to consolidate loyalty within his administration, even as critics warn of growing political purges within national security agencies.