White House Deputy NSA Andy Baker to depart in coming weeks

Published Aug 14, 04:42 PM UTC

White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker will leave the Trump administration in the coming weeks, marking the latest change in a shake-up of the national security team. Baker, who also served as national security adviser to Vice President JD Vance, is widely viewed as a low-key but influential figure. A former State Department official and academic, he advocated for a more restrained American foreign policy and helped craft Vance's speech to the Munich Security Conference. Baker stayed on longer than planned to assist with staff transitions. Mike Needham, a State Department official close to Secretary Rubio, joined as another deputy national security adviser in late May, and Cliff Sims succeeded Baker as Vance's national security adviser. Lower-level staff departures have also occurred, including the NSC officials for Europe and Latin America in June. The broader significance of the turnover is unclear, as the Trump administration often handles foreign policy at the principal level. Other recent departures include press secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House counsel David Warrington.