Fresh off President Trump’s impeachment acquittal earlier this week, the White House is reportedly considering a purge of the National Security Council to remove some staff perceived as disloyal to the president—including Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman. Citing three sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News reports that senior officials were notified Thursday that some staffers would be departing the White House. Among those reportedly on the chopping block is Vindman, the National Security Council’s top Ukraine expert, whose damning testimony about Trump’s “inappropriate” dealings with Ukraine in the impeachment trial sparked a smear campaign against him by Trump allies. According to a source cited by CNN, Vindman has told colleagues he believes he will be leaving the NSC in the next few weeks to go back to the Defense Department, though it was not immediately clear if the move was voluntary. Trump has reportedly expressed anger that Vindman remains on the NSC, and his responsibilities were diminished after his testimony, according to CNN. The White House is said to be keen to make Vindman’s departure look like just part of a wider move to downsize the NSC rather than payback for his impeachment testimony.
