Trump Counterterrorism Official Has Left the White House Staff

(Bloomberg) -- A top White House counterterrorism official has left the National Security Council, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Chris Miller, a veteran of the Army’s Special Forces who served in Afghanistan, will be returning to the Defense Department, said the people, who sought anonymity to discuss Trump administration personnel matters.

Miller, the NSC’s senior director for counterterrorism, was next to National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien in the White House Situation Room as the raid in Syria that killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi unfolded in October.

Miller took part in several counterterrorism operations at the White House, including hostage rescues, multiple operations against ISIS, including the Baghdadi mission.

He had originally been assigned to the White House for a year, but that tour kept getting extended. His last day at the White House was Friday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jennifer Jacobs in Washington at jjacobs68@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael Shepard at mshepard7@bloomberg.net, John Harney

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