WASHINGTON
— President Trump reshuffled his national security organization on
Wednesday, removing his chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, from a top
policy-making committee and restoring senior military and intelligence
officials who had been downgraded when he first came into office.
The
shift was orchestrated by Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who was tapped as Mr.
Trump’s national security adviser after the resignation of Michael T.
Flynn, who stepped down in February after being caught misleading Vice
President Mike Pence and other White House officials about his contacts
with Russia’s ambassador.
Document: Stephen Bannon Is Removed From National Security Council
General McMaster inherited an organizational scheme for the National Security Council
that stirred protests because of Mr. Bannon’s role. The original setup
made Mr. Bannon, the former chairman of Breitbart News, a member of the
principals committee that typically includes cabinet-level officials
like the vice president, secretary of state and defense secretary. The
original order also made the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and
the director of national intelligence only occasional participants as
issues demanded.
Critics said Mr. Bannon’s presence in a national security policy-making structure risked politicizing foreign policy.
A
new order issued by Mr. Trump, dated Tuesday and made public on
Wednesday, removes Mr. Bannon from the principals committee, restores
the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and intelligence director and also adds
the energy secretary, C.I.A. director and United Nations ambassador.
A
senior White House official presented the move as a logical evolution,
not a setback for Mr. Bannon. He had originally been put on the
principals committee to keep an eye on Mr. Flynn and to
“de-operationalize” the N.S.C. after the Obama administration, this
official said on condition of anonymity to discuss internal dynamics.
This official said that process had been completed.
But
the reorganization seemed a clear victory for General McMaster as he
struggles to assert control over national security. In addition to the
changing membership of the principals committee, the new order also puts
the Homeland Security Council under General McMaster rather than making
it a separate entity, as Mr. Trump’s original order had done.
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