By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-14 16:44:50 | Updated at 2026-08-14 17:48:21
1 hour ago
One of Donald Trump's top national security advisers is resigning as the war with Iran escalates, with fresh attacks on US allies in the Strait of Hormuz.
White House deputy national security adviser Andy Baker, a longtime ally of JD Vance, will leave the administration in the next few weeks, according to Axios.
Baker played a critical role in crafting and executing Trump's foreign policy over the past 18 months. His shock departure comes just days after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced her own resignation.
He was also a central figure in the now-stalled peace talks with Iran, including drafting the Memorandum of Understanding signed in June.
Tehran has since walked away from that agreement, attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries roughly a fifth of the world's oil.
The regime launched explosive suicide drone attacks on two oil tankers operated by Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil company in the Persian Gulf on Thursday night.
Both vessels sustained minor damage and no casualties were reported, but the United Arab Emirates condemned the strike as an act of piracy and a threat to global energy security.
The attack comes with traffic through the vital passageway running far below normal as the regime claims control of it. Nine commodity vessels passed through the strait on Thursday, according to shipping data, compared with an August daily average of 12. Before the war, more than 100 vessels per day moved through the waterway.
One of Donald Trump's top national security advisers is resigning as the war with Iran escalates, with fresh attacks on US allies in the Strait of Hormuz
Andy Baker with a Turkish official in Washington, DC, in February
Baker was a longtime aide and adviser to Vice President JD Vance
Iran says it controls and manages the Strait. The US says it can maintain its naval blockade indefinitely, aimed at forcing Tehran back to the negotiating table as ceasefire talks stall.
Baker has been a key figure in advising Trump on how to maintain the blockade against Iran, and is also a vocal China hawk.
He is reportedly telling those close to him that he is leaving to spend more time with his family, and that he stayed on longer than planned to ensure an orderly transition, per Axios.
'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,' Baker told Axios.
Baker began his career at the State Department before joining then-Senator Vance's office as his national security adviser and following him to the White House.
Vance personally praised his former aide after the resignation was announced: '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.'
The policy Baker oversaw remains an ongoing headache for the President, with gas prices and inflation still elevated in the US amid the chaos surrounding Hormuz.
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His departure comes days after Karoline Leavitt announced her own resignation
Tehran has since walked away from Trump's peace deal, attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries roughly a fifth of the world's oil
Baker played a critical role in crafting and executing Trump's foreign policy over the past 18 months
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading at $87 per barrel Friday after falling to $70 per barrel last month on hopes of a peace deal.
The national average gas price stands at more than $4 per gallon in the US.
The rising prices have added inflationary pressure on families as Trump prepares for midterm elections in less than three months.
