[JURIST] US President Donald Trump on Tuesday removed [executive order] Chief Political Strategist Steve Bannon [BBC backgrounder] from the National Security Council (NSC). Bannon was a controversial pick for the council, and according to the administration, was only placed on the council to help Trump control then-national security adviser Michael Flynn [official website]. With Flynn resigning [text] in February, the administration says Bannon is no longer need on the NSC. Instead, Bannon will continue to advise Trump, while National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster [BBC backgrounder] will take control of both the NSC and the Homeland Security Council [official website]. Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert [NYT backgrounder] will now be under McMaster’s command as well.

Trump’s presidency has faced a good deal of controversy. Earlier this week, Trump signed a bill [JURIST report] officially repealing internet privacy regulations set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) during the end of former president Barrack Obama’s term. A pending FCC rule, Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services, would have required internet providers to seek consumer consent before sharing and selling their private information. The week before, advocacy group Human Rights Watch criticized [JURIST report] Trump’s plan to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, saying the move effectively endorses the country’s poor recent human rights record. That same day, a federal judge rejected [JURIST report] Trump’s free speech defense in response to his alleged inciting of violence among protesters during his presidential campaign.