Trump purges several national security advisors — reports

US President Donald Trump has fired several US national security officials, broadcaster CNN and other news outlets reported on Thursday.

The New York Times reported that some six NSC staff members were dismissed, while others were reassigned, following a meeting between Trump and far-right activist Laura Loomer.

Among the several senior NSC officials who were fired are David Feith, a senior director overseeing technology and national security, and Brian Walsh, a senior director overseeing intelligence matters, Reuters reported.

The reasons for the firings were not clear, but unnamed sources told Reuters that said there were issues with their vetting their and their background.

It comes in the wake of a scandal that gripped Trump’s National Security Council (NSC) last week, when a journalist from US magazine The Atlantic was accidentally added to a chat on the Signal app where officials discussed air strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

What do we know about the meeting?

Trump’s meeting with Loomer is said to have lasted 30 minutes and it reportedly included National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, according to media reports.

Vice President JD Vance, chief of staff Susie Wiles, and Sergio Gor, director of the presidential personnel Office, were all said to have attended.

Trump confirmed the meeting to reporters aboard Air Force One, calling Loomer “a great patriot” and saying that she made recommendations for people to hire. Trump did not say if she had suggested that he fire the NSC staff. 

Who is Laura Loomer? 

A far-right conspiracy theorist and influencer, Loomer is known for inflammatory statements and most notably, for claiming that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were an inside job. 

Despite the controversies surrounding her, Loomer is close to Trump. She often flew with on his campaign plane during the 2024 election.

Loomer confirmed the meeting on social media. She said she presented “opposition research” to Trump.

“It was an honor to meet with President Trump and present him with my research findings,” Loomer said on X on Thursday.

“I will continue working hard to support his agenda, and I will continue reiterating the importance of, and the necessity of STRONG VETTING, for the sake of protecting the President of the United States of America, and our national security.”

She added that “out of respect for President Trump and the privacy of the Oval Office, I’m going to decline on divulging any details” regarding the meeting.