WASHINGTON, June 4 - Charles McLaughlin, who has been the White House senior director for European and Russian affairs, is anticipated to depart within days as part of a broader reorganization of staff at the National Security Council (NSC).
Four people familiar with internal personnel changes, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the moves have not been publicly disclosed, said the shuffle effectively installs additional allies of Secretary of State Marco Rubio into influential NSC positions. Those shifts could give Rubio tighter day-to-day control of policymaking at the NSC. Rubio is serving as President Donald Trump’s acting national security adviser in addition to his role as Secretary of State.
A White House official confirmed that McLaughlin will return to the National Defense University (NDU), where he had served as a professor prior to his detail to the White House. The official said McLaughlin’s detail from the NDU was set to expire in mid-June. The official did not offer further explanation for the departure.
European diplomats and officials have generally described McLaughlin as personally well-liked and professionally fair, according to accounts provided to reporters. At the same time, several European officials have characterized his approach as relatively inclined toward normalizing relations with Russia rather than pressing Moscow more forcefully. Some in Europe are therefore hoping his successor will take a more hawkish stance toward Russia.
McLaughlin, a former army special operations officer with private-sector experience, did not respond to a request for comment.
Context and recent moves
The personnel changes at the NSC come amid a string of other departures and reassignments. In late May, Robert Gabriel - one of two deputy national security advisers and a close associate of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles - left for the private sector. Last week, Mike Needham, who served as State Department counselor and is identified as one of Rubio’s most trusted aides, moved to the NSC to take a deputy national security adviser position.
People familiar with the selection process said Needham is among those involved in choosing McLaughlin’s replacement. One candidate named by sources is Chris Curran, described as another high-ranking Rubio aide currently on the State Department’s Policy Planning staff. Curran has been engaged in discussions aimed at settling Russia’s war in Ukraine. No final decisions have been made and other candidates remain under consideration. Curran did not respond to a request for comment.
Two sources indicated they expect additional departures from the NSC in the coming weeks.
Institutional role and recent history
The NSC has traditionally coordinated national security policy across departments and agencies, but its influence has fluctuated. Under the prior administration of President Joe Biden, the NSC played a central role in many high-level foreign policy decisions, to the extent that some officials at the State Department and the Pentagon privately complained about the council’s predominance.
According to the sources, that centrality diminished after President Trump returned to office in January 2025 and significantly reduced NSC staff levels. In April 2025, Trump removed then-National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Following those changes, Marco Rubio has assumed both the principal diplomatic role as Secretary of State and the acting national security adviser role, and many NSC staffers have been excluded from key decisions.
The reshuffle, as described by the sources, suggests Rubio and his team are playing a more active role in managing and staffing the NSC. How the council’s responsibilities and influence evolve will depend in part on who fills McLaughlin’s role and on the broader pattern of personnel changes at the council.
European reactions and policy implications
European allies have expressed growing unease about the direction of U.S. policy since the Trump administration returned to office. The administration’s rhetoric has included sharper criticisms of some NATO partners, with the president accusing several allies of not supporting the United States in its military campaign against Iran. The personnel changes at the NSC, including the expected replacement for McLaughlin, are being watched closely in capitals across Europe for signs of either continuity or a shift toward a more hawkish posture on Russia.