Trump got this one right: A smaller National Security Council staff is actually a good thing

President Trump’s decision to downsize the National Security Council staff has evoked howls of protest from members of the media and from former NSC staffers under President Joe Biden — at times they are one and the same. These critics argue that Trump is “removing part of his government’s brain” and increasing the risk of America being unable to address and respond to a developing crisis.

Their case would be much stronger if the NSC had, for example, understood the risks of a hurried...