Today, Morgan, Les, Amy, and Jess unpack the dramatic firings at the National Security Council, following far-right influencer Laura Loomer’s unexpected meeting with President Trump. In just 24 hours, two rounds of senior NSC officials—including the Commander and Deputy of U.S. Cyber Command—were dismissed, with a third round reportedly imminent. What triggered the purge? A mix of internal power struggles, loyalty tests, and fallout from last week’s Signal Gate scandal.

Is the Trump administration sidelining expertise in favor of ideological alignment? With trust in National Security Advisor Mike Waltz shaken and figures like Pete Hegseth gaining influence, is a broader battle underway between traditional GOP Reaganites and those who are more skeptical of U.S. alliances. And who stands to benefit from this internal unraveling at the heart of U.S. foreign policy?

Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.

Check out the sources that helped shape our Fellows’ discussion: 

https://jinsa.org/jinsa_report/path-to-snapback-april-2025/ 

https://www.axios.com/2025/04/02/trump-iran-talks-bomb-threats 

https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/03/31/there-will-be-a-bombing-trump-threatens-to-attack-iran-if-no-nuclear-deal-reached/ 

Follow our experts on Twitter: 

@NotTVJessJones 

@morganlroach

@amykmitchell

@lestermunson

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