Top White House National Security Official Heads For The Exit

White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker is leaving the Trump administration, the Daily Caller confirmed.

Baker, who has a young family and is set to leave the administration in the coming weeks, has stayed on longer than expected to help with White House staff transitions, a source close to Baker told the Caller. The deputy national security adviser has also served as National Security Adviser to Vice President JD Vance contemporaneously.

Notably, Mike Needham will be transitioning to deputy national security adviser and Cliff Sims to Vance’s national security adviser. Needham has effectively served in his role since this spring, and Cliff succeeded Baker earlier this summer, a source close to Baker told the Caller.

“This has been an amazing journey. I’m proud of everything we’ve achieved and, of course, am incredibly grateful to the President, Vice President, and Secretary Rubio. I’ll never be far away,” Baker told the Caller. (RELATED: Rubio Dispatched To Middle East Amid Ongoing Iran Talks)

Axios first reported the news.

Baker is the first person known to have concurrently served as a White House deputy national security advisor and the vice president’s national security advisor. He also served as Vance’s national security advisor while he was in the Senate.

“Andy is an exceptionally gifted, deeply thoughtful advisor who has served the President and me with distinction. He has been an indispensable member of our administration’s national security team,” Vance told the Caller in a statement.

“For the over three years that Andy has been by my side, I’ve always valued his counsel and have been grateful for the difficult work he’s done to ensure the United States is the safest, most secure, and most capable nation on Earth,” he continued.

Baker is headed into the private sector, Axios reported.

Baker departs as the administration continues to be in a months-long conflict with Iran. Axios noted that Baker was personally involved in negotiations with the country. His boss, Vance, has been the lead negotiator between the U.S. and Iran. (RELATED: Vance Warns Israel It Can’t Kill Its Way Out Of Every Conflict)

Both Needham and Special Envoy noted that Baker is a close friend in statements provided to the Caller.

“Andy has been an invaluable asset and key member of the President’s national security team who has greatly advanced the America First agenda. Andy has been a trusted, loyal, and critical advisor through every success, and I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Caller in a statement.