Internal turmoil at the US National Security Council

The National Security Council, the center of the US president's security solutions in an unstable world, is going through chaotic and tense days.

US National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn speaks at a press conference at the White House. Photo: AP

On the evening of February 13, US National Security Advisor Michael T. Flynn, a permanent member of the National Security Council (NSC), submitted his resignation after being accused of lying about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the US to discuss sanctions that Washington imposed on Moscow.

According to the New York Times, Michael T. Flynn has been largely absent since the FBI launched an investigation into his contacts with the Russian ambassador and whether he lied to Vice President Mike Pence about the matter.

Although US President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One on February 10 that he was unaware of recent suspicions surrounding Flynn's conversations with the Russian ambassador, some of Trump's aides said he was closely monitoring public reactions to issues related to Flynn.

Analysts believe Flynn was removed from his position as National Security Advisor because a document recording the content of at least one of his phone calls was wiretapped by intelligence agencies.

Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak, who is said to have discussed with Mr Flynn about lifting sanctions on Russia. Photo: AP

Experts say Flynn's resignation reveals some of the turmoil within the NSC.

Three weeks into Trump’s presidency, NSC staffers were reading the president’s tweets every morning and trying to make decisions in line with them. Most were not informed about what Trump had said on the phone to foreign leaders.

Some NSC staff even resorted to using code to communicate with colleagues after hearing that senior advisers to Mr Trump were considering an “insider threat” control program that could involve monitoring their mobile phones and emails to prevent leaks.

The NSC is an advisory body to the president on a wide range of issues including counterterrorism, foreign policy, nuclear deterrence and many others.

"It was really a chaotic council," said Democratic Representative Adam B. Schiff, ranking member of the US Senate Intelligence Committee.

In a phone conversation on the afternoon of February 12, KT McFarland, Deputy National Security Advisor of the United States, said that recent NSC meetings have been tighter, quicker and more decisive than before, but she also noted that NSC officials are in a state of tension.

“It’s not just because it’s a new administration, it’s because it’s a different party and Trump was elected by people who want to tear down the status quo,” McFarland said. “It would be strange if we weren’t stunned by the changes because most of the new cabinet members have never served in government.”

Internal trouble

Any new NSC, staffed by people drawn from the State Department, the Pentagon and other agencies, would have to undergo a shake-up. President Obama replaced his first national security adviser, four-star General James Jones, after finding him unsuitable for the new administration.

The early years of the NSC under President George W. Bush also saw many conflicts between Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell.

But officials familiar with the matter say what is happening under President Trump is completely different, and not just because of his Twitter diplomacy.

President Trump's NSC staff largely comes from the military, often people who had ties to Flynn during his time as a senior intelligence officer and then as director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), before being forced out of that position.

Some NSC staffers who did not want to work for Mr. Trump returned to their permanent posts, leaving a gap in an agency that needs experienced personnel. Many who remained saw themselves as apolitical civil servants and were unsettled by the overt displays of partisanship.

Flynn (right) and Trump's security adviser Stephen K. Bannon. Photo: Reuters

Even the circulation of documents within the NSC administrative apparatusnow also become erratic. According toNew York Times, a senior Pentagon official said he learned of the draft executive order on the treatment of terrorism suspects only through rumors and leaks in the press. He called the White House to verify information about the draft order. He was concerned about the draft order but was not sure if he would be allowed to comment.

Some officials say Flynn is responsible for the lack of a smooth flow of documents from the NSC. Defense Secretary Mattis and CIA Director Mike Pompeo did not even see some of Trump's executive orders before they were issued.

According to VNE