Incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is preparing to take swift action once President-elect Trump is inaugurated later this month. In a recent interview with Breitbart News, Waltz announced that all intelligence officials currently detailed to the National Security Council (NSC) from various federal departments and agencies will be required to vacate the building by 12:01 p.m. Eastern Time on January 20, immediately following the president-elect’s swearing-in ceremony.
Waltz, a former Army Green Beret officer and veteran, explained that he has made his agenda and expectations “crystal clear” to members of the incoming administration, as well as those appointed by President Biden. “Everybody is going to resign at 12:01 on January 20,” he said. “We’re working through our process to get everybody their clearances and through the transition process now. Our folks know who we want out in the agencies, we’re putting those requests in, and in terms of the detailees, they’re all going to go back.”
The current structure of the National Security Council (NSC) tasks the National Security Advisor with overseeing a team of presidential appointees who manage a diverse group of “detailees.” These detailees are assigned or appointed from their home agencies to work with the NSC in their areas of expertise. Typically, they are career intelligence officers from agencies such as the FBI, CIA, NSA, and the Pentagon, as well as other law enforcement and intelligence organizations. Once detailed to the NSC, they report to the presidential appointees, each of whom manages specific portfolios within the council.
The NSC manages several issue-specific portfolios covering key areas such as counterterrorism and cybersecurity, along with portfolios focused on specific regions like the Western Hemisphere, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Detailees play a critical role in coordinating with various agencies and departments to ensure that the president’s agenda is effectively implemented.
Photo: New America
Waltz told Breitbart News that clearing out holdovers and ensuring a fresh start is a top priority for the new administration on day one. Along with requiring resignations, the incoming National Security Advisor pledged to staff the NSC exclusively with detailees who fully align with the president-elect’s agenda. “The folks that we’re bringing in are 100 percent aligned with the president’s agenda. Hell, the entire world seems to be aligned with his agenda if you just look at the outreach from world leaders and everybody who wants to come to Mar-a-Lago,” he said. “So, there’s a little bit of a difference in that everybody was reflexively just against him [the first time] just for the sake of it and the Trump Derangement Syndrome was out of control in 2017.”
Looking ahead, Waltz expressed confidence that the shortcomings of the Biden administration will diminish the influence of anti-Trump elements within the federal government. He noted that several media outlets heavily reported on the numerous hoaxes and false accusations against Trump during his first term from 2017 to 2020. “Now, after seeing and feeling four years of progressive governance under Biden and seeing the world come unglued, we’re not even seeing the levels of resistance to his agenda—that’s just a broader point. But also the folks we’re bringing in, the key members of my team, have relationships out in these agencies and we know who is completely on board,” he said.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.