President Donald Trump confirmed he had fired several National Security Council (NSC) officials after far-right activist Laura Loomer raised concerns about their loyalty, including those involved in Ukraine-related policy.

Ms Loomer, who met with Mr Trump in the Oval Office, urged the president to purge staff she deemed insufficiently loyal to his “Make America Great Again” agenda.

Mr Trump downplayed Ms Loomer’s influence, stating staff were let go for not performing adequately or having divided loyalties. The firings come as Mr Trump faces mounting scrutiny over his national security team’s use of the Signal app to plan operations in Yemen, raising concerns over security procedures.

Ms Loomer, a vocal critic of the NSC, took credit for the dismissals, linking them to her own efforts to root out disloyal staff within the White House, especially as tensions over Ukraine escalate.