Purging national security staff

Re “U.S. national security team is downsizing,” Feb. 13

It is long past time for President Trump’s supporters to wake up and smell the scorched Earth. Their omniscient leader — who doesn’t read and spends much of his days watching Fox News, tweeting or playing golf — does not trust experts. If you had plumbing problems in your home, wouldn’t you call an expert?

While I’m sure there is bloat in every government agency, “trimming” onethird of the staff at the White House’s national security team is not trimming, it is purging.

Purging a vital department of honorable, knowledgeable and dedicated public servants is irresponsible and dangerous.

If their reason for supporting our wanna-be dictator is that the economy is doing great (and they might want to delve a little further into that), how will that protect us from national security failures? Lynn Eames

Los Angeles

I suspect Trump gets away with the serial staff slashing because too many Americans do not understand the roles of bureaucrats and appointed staff. They have not been convincingly shown the concrete consequences of the under-staffing.

That leaves us thinking “no big deal” and Trump free to fire as he pleases. Roger Schwarz

Los Angeles

Now the national security advisor and the attorney general are tarnished. What do we expect?

The true villain is not Trump, but rather Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. That he should take it upon himself to kill the democracy he swore an oath to protect is truly heartbreaking.

I am glad I am 86 years

old; I will not live to reap the whirlwind. Nancy Palter

Los Angeles