In many respects, the national security process no longer exists.

Almost no one had answers except to point to Trump’s public announcement of the airstrike, as officials received no key points on what should be communicated to other governments.

This was seen as an indicator of how far Trump departed from the traditional American political approach, adopting a “centralized and impromptu” method for national security decisions.

He reduced the role of National Security Council staff, who previous presidents relied on to oversee policy options, ensure presidential decisions were implemented, and coordinate with foreign governments.

The number of advisers was cut, with council staff dropping to fewer than 150 compared to about 400 in previous administrations.

Trump dismissed National Security Advisor Mike Wess, three months after he took office, assigning the role to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to perform alongside his duties as the top U.S. diplomat.

As a result, Trump relied on a small number of senior advisers.

White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said it was “a top-down approach. Previous administrations may have wanted to inform everyone of everything to appease them, but we don’t care if someone feels upset. We just want to get the job done.”

However, officials and critics warned that this approach harmed the Trump administration more than it helped.

David Rothkopf, author of a book on the history of the National Security Council and a strong Trump critic, said, “In many respects, the national security process no longer exists.”

Rothkopf believes Trump alone represents the national security system.

He added, “The State Department, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the National Security Council are all combined in one person.”

Critics argue the current system deprives Trump of expert opinions within the government that could aid policy formulation, and officials tasked with executing orders often lack the detailed knowledge required, leading to delays, mistakes, or even negligence.

This approach also encouraged some senior officials to act independently to attract White House attention and push their own priorities.

In May, Troy Vitterl, then Senior Africa Affairs Officer at the U.S. State Department, announced during a speech in Côte d’Ivoire a high-level meeting with African countries on the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly in September, focusing on trade and investment.

Vitterl revealed the idea before it was officially placed on Trump’s agenda, according to administration officials.

He also planned to visit the UK before the UN meeting, leaving little time to meet African leaders.

Officials and diplomats received no instructions from the White House to organize the meeting.

Administration aides explained that Trump had already hosted several African leaders at the White House and expected more meetings with counterparts from the continent.

During his short tenure, Wess brought several seasoned congressional aides and officials from Trump’s first term into the National Security Council.

However, some were quickly dismissed after being accused of “disloyalty” by far-right influencers like Laura Loomer, while others resigned following Wess’s dismissal.

Wess and General Michael Kurilla, then commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), convinced Trump in March to launch weeks-long airstrikes on the Houthis in Yemen, despite most of his national security team opposing the operation.

The national security team justified their stance by the need to preserve the limited U.S. ammunition stockpile in anticipation of a possible war with China, noting that the group, classified as “terrorist,” would not surrender simply due to U.S. bombing.

But only two months after the campaign began, Trump abruptly changed course, announcing the Houthis’ agreement to cease attacks on U.S. ships.

However, their attacks on Israel and ships from other countries continued.

After assuming the role of National Security Advisor in May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended a significant reduction in council staff to restore its original role as an interagency coordination body rather than an advisory entity.

Officials said this approach aligns more with Trump’s hierarchical style of governance.

Current and former officials confirmed that this approach reduces the risk of leaks that hampered Trump’s first term and allows him and a narrow group of advisers to implement decisions quickly instead of engaging in lengthy discussions.

Gordon Sondland, who served as Trump’s ambassador to the European Union during his first term, said, “There are many complainers in the halls of the National Security Council who complain their voices are not heard, while in reality, there may be no need for their voices to be heard.”

The daily operations of the council are overseen by Deputy National Security Advisors Andy Baker and Robert Gabriel, along with Mike Needham, a State Department adviser.

They detail Trump’s general orders and share them with senior officials before his meetings.

President Donald Trump’s administration began radical reforms of the National Security Council on Friday, preparing to redistribute hundreds of staff and consolidate power with trusted aides.

Condoleezza Rice, who served as National Security Advisor during George W. Bush’s administration, said at the Aspen Security Forum last July, “They no longer have that upward process we may have been used to. I don’t think you can put an external recipe for the National Security Council process; it depends a lot on the president.”

White House envoy Steve Witkoff often contacts Trump directly after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders, but summaries of those talks rarely reach government institutions.

Leavitt said, “We don’t expect anything more” from Witkoff than briefings for Trump and senior national security team members.

With the council downsized, Trump sometimes finds himself out of the loop.

He was surprised in July by the Pentagon’s decision to freeze arms deliveries to Ukraine after reviewing stockpiles, following the announcement of the freeze.

Trump reversed the decision about a week later.