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Baker to Exit
White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker is expected to leave the Trump administration in the coming weeks, marking another change in a national security team that has seen several recent shake-ups.
“White House national security aide Andy Baker to exit”
Reuters reported that national security officials in Washington widely view Baker as a low-key but influential figure inside the White House, and that he also served as a national security adviser to Vice President JD Vance.
Baker wrote in a statement provided to Reuters, "I'm proud of everything we've achieved and, of course, am incredibly grateful to the President, Vice President and Secretary Rubio," and added, "I'll never be far away."
The announcement comes as the White House has already seen other departures, including White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, whose exit was confirmed on social media Wednesday as she said she was leaving to be with her family.
Iran Talks and Praise
Multiple outlets tie Baker’s departure to his role in negotiations with Iran, with HuffPost saying he has been personally involved in negotiations with Iran to end the ongoing war.
The Washington Examiner adds that Baker was a member of Washington’s negotiation team in a series of peace talks with Iran, and that those talks produced a 60-day ceasefire that included a highly contested memorandum of understanding.
Vance praised Baker in a statement to Axios, saying, "Andy is an exceptionally gifted, deeply thoughtful advisor who has served the President and me with distinction."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also praised Baker, telling Axios in a statement that he was "an invaluable asset and key member of the President’s national security team who has greatly advanced the America First agenda."
Staff Turnover Stakes
The departures are part of broader staff changes inside the White House national security apparatus, with Military Times saying there have been additional staff departures at lower levels in recent months.
“Mike Needham, a high-ranking State Department official close to Rubio, joined the White House in late May”
Dawn’s Reuters-published account says Mike Needham joined the White House in late May as another deputy national security adviser alongside Baker, and that Cliff Sims succeeded Baker as national security adviser to Vance at around the same time.
The Washington Examiner reports that an analysis from the Brooking Institute found Trump’s second administration has a 53% turnover rate for White House staff, compared with a 93% turnover rate in Trump’s first term.
While Baker’s exit is framed as a transition, the sources also connect it to ongoing negotiations and uncertainty, with the Mirror US en Español saying talks with Iran remain stalled as Baker steps down in the coming weeks.