Donald Trump removes Stephen Bannon from National Security Council

Donald Trump removes Stephen Bannon from National Security Council.

In a reversal, President Trump removed chief strategist Stephen Bannon on Wednesday from a permanent seat on the White House National Security Council and restored top intelligence and military officials to regular positions on the NSC.

The president withdrew Mr. Bannon from the principals’ committee, the main policymaking group for national security, less than three months after his appointment to the post had raised criticism about potential politicization of the NSC.

The change was sought by new National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, who took over the job last month for the fired Michael Flynn.

In the reorganization, Mr. Trump also upgraded the status of Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. to “regular attendees” of the principals’ committee, reversing another earlier decision. And he downgraded the role of Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert on the NSC, according to a presidential memorandum.

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Mr. Bannon said he was removed from the NSC because it was no longer in danger of being “operationalized,” as he asserted had been the case under former Obama National Security Adviser Susan E. Rice. He said Mr. McMaster “has returned the NSC to its proper function.”