US President Donald Trump has removed his chief strategist Steve Bannon from the National Security Council (NSC), reversing his controversial decision early this year to give a political adviser an unprecedented role in security discussions.
Key points:
- New national security adviser, who replaced Michael Flynn, said to have conflicted with Steve Bannon
- White House official says Bannon was only originally needed as a check on Flynn
- Critics of Bannon’s role said it gave too much weight to someone lacking in foreign policy expertise
Mr Trump’s overhaul of the NSC, confirmed by a White House official, also elevated General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Dan Coats, the director of National Intelligence who heads all 17 US intelligence agencies.
The official said the change moved the NSC “back to its core function of what it’s supposed to do”.
It also appears to mark a victory by national security adviser HR McMaster, who had told some national security experts he was not getting along with Mr Bannon and others on the White House staff.
Mr Trump’s White House team has grappled with infighting and palace intrigue.
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