WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump fired six National Security Council (NSC) officials on April 3, 2025, following a meeting with far-right activist Laura Loomer in the Oval Office, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter [1,2].

The dismissals came after Loomer presented a list of officials she deemed disloyal to the president during a roughly 30-minute meeting attended by Vice President JD Vance, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and other senior officials [1].

Among those dismissed were Brian Walsh (senior director for intelligence), Maggie Dougherty (senior director for international organizations), and Thomas Boodry (senior director for legislative affairs) [1,2]. The firings occurred despite the officials having previously passed the administration's vetting process.

National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, who joined the meeting later, attempted to defend his staff but appeared to have limited influence over the personnel decisions [1]. While Waltz retained his position, sources indicate his status remains precarious following a recent security incident involving the inadvertent sharing of sensitive military information in a Signal group chat [1,3].

The meeting's circumstances have raised questions about influence over national security staffing decisions. Loomer, who has previously promoted conspiracy theories about the September 11 attacks, was granted direct access to the president despite having been temporarily distanced from the administration during the 2024 campaign [1,2].

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Representative Scott Perry were also present at the meeting. Perry brought his own separate list of staff concerns to discuss with the president [1].

The White House has not officially commented on the personnel changes, with NSC spokesman Brian Hughes stating that the council does not comment on personnel matters [2].