Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, President Donald Trump's new national security adviser, is eliminating positions created by his predecessor to streamline the National Security Council, Politico reported.
McMaster, who is less than two weeks into his tenure, did away with two deputy assistant spots – a position supervising the regional desks of the NSC and one overseeing transnational matters.
Brad Hansell and Dave Cattler were also re-positioned to their posts. Hansell, who had been serving as acting deputy assistant to the president for transnational issues since the beginning of the Trump administration, is returning to his post as the NSC's senior director for transnational threats.
Cattler, named deputy assistant to the president for regional affairs, will return to the office of the Director of National Intelligence.
"McMaster took a look at them and thought he didn't need the extra layer," a White House aide told Politico. "He wanted to go back the way it had been prior."
More changes might come with the NSC reshuffling, but unclear is whether deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland will remain on the NSC and whether Steve Bannon will stay on the principals committee, Politico reported.