According to National Security Council (NSC) chief of staff Suzy George, the NSC is “downsizing,” but not “for its own sake.” George calls it “right-sizing,” a way for the White House to “align our staffing with our strategic priorities.”

In a blog post on the White House website, George says that the NSC has consistently grown during past administrations as well as during the Obama administration. Changes are necessary, she says, to be sure that the NSC “is a lean, nimble, and policy-oriented organization,” and to that end, the agency plans to “streamline many internal processes and procedures, reduce the number of interagency meetings, and enhance NSC staff connectivity with NSC leadership.”