Trump downplays the role of far-right activist in firings of NSC staff
President Trump is downplaying reports that far-right activist Laura Loomer influenced National Security Council firings on Thursday.
Trump confirmed that some number of people were fired but would not specify how many or why. “Always we’ll let go (of) people — people that we don’t like or people that we don’t think can do the job or people that may have loyalties to somebody else,” he told reporters on Air Force One Thursday night.
Loomer addressed her role in the firings in a post on X Thursday night.
“You know how you know the NSC officials I reported to President Trump are disloyal people who have played a role in sabotaging Donald Trump?” adding that the fired officials were “being defended by” commentators on CNN and MSNBC.
National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said the NSC would not comment on personnel matters.
Trump said he had spoken with Loomer on Wednesday and said she made some hiring recommendations, but denied she had anything to do with the NSC firings. Trump said he listened to her recommendations, “like I do with everybody. I listen to everybody and then I make a decision.”
Loomer, who has had two failed Republican bids for Congress, is known for promoting conspiracy theories as well as anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim views. She shared a video on X that claimed 9/11 was an “inside job” and mocked former Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ Indian heritage.
She has been banned by multiple social media platforms. She was reinstated on X, once it came under Elon Musk’s ownership. She has more than 1.5 million followers on the platform now.
Trump called Loomer a “patriot” and a “good person.”
The firings also follow scrutiny of the security practices of the administration. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz or a staffer inadvertently added Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a chat on the messaging app Signal. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared information relating to airstrikes in Yemen in that chat.
The Pentagon acting inspector general is now investigating, at the direction of members of Congress.
President Trump has resisted calls to fire Waltz and Hegseth, and the White House says no classified information was shared.
Air Canada suspends restart plans after union defies return to work order
Air Canada will resume flights Monday evening, claiming the union illegally directed flight attendants to defy a return-to-work order.
After meeting Putin, Trump changes his position on the need for a ceasefire
When President Trump was flying to Alaska to meet Vladimir Putin, he said the goal was a ceasefire. But after they talked, Trump aligned himself with Putin and downplayed the need for a truce.
One neurosurgeon, 8 million patients
Alieu Kamara is the first and only neurosurgeon in Sierra Leone. "Before Dr. Kamara, there was no hope," said professor Kehinde Oluwadiya of the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital Complex.
Sunday Puzzle: Dressed to the rhymes
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with Weekend Edition puzzle master Will Shortz and NEPM listener Alison Triebwasser of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts.
Hurricane Erin downgraded to Category 3 storm
Heavy rain is still expected across the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, with rainfall of up to 8 inches in some areas.
European leaders to join Ukraine’s Zelenskyy for White House meeting with Trump
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte are among those expected to attend.
