Michael Needham, a longtime adviser to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has been tapped to serve as assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser, according to Axios, citing a source familiar with the move.
Needham will work alongside Rubio, who is currently serving as President Trump’s acting national security adviser while also leading the State Department.
At the State Department, Needham recently took part in Rubio’s diplomatic efforts hosting the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades.
Needham replaces Robert Gabriel in the role. Rubio chief of staff Dan Holler will become counselor and acting director of policy planning. Holler previously worked alongside Needham in Rubio’s Senate office and at Heritage Action for America. Matt Rhodes is set to take over as Rubio’s chief of staff at the State Department.
