More than 100 staffers from the White House National Security Council (NSC) have been placed on administrative leave as part of an internal restructuring under acting National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
CNN reported the development, citing two U.S. officials and another informed source.
An administration official said that around 4:20 p.m., NSC Chief of Staff Brian McCormack sent an email to affected personnel, giving them 30 minutes to collect their personal items. Employees who were not on the premises were given the option to schedule a time to pick up their belongings and return government-issued equipment.
The email’s subject line, “Your return to your home agency,” suggested that the majority of those affected were on temporary assignment from other federal departments or agencies.
One official criticized the timing of the move, stating that executing such a broad reorganization just before a long weekend was “highly unprofessional and irresponsible.”
The list of those placed on leave includes both career civil servants and political appointees from the Trump administration.
The NSC, which draws expertise from across government agencies, serves a central role in developing and coordinating U.S. foreign policy.
