Andy Baker, a White House deputy national security advisor and one of Vice President JD Vance’s closest foreign policy aides, is leaving the Trump administration in the coming weeks.

Baker, a former foreign service officer at the State Department, served as Vance’s national security advisor in the White House and in Vance’s Senate office before joining the White House National Security Council this spring. He emerged as a low-profile but influential figure within the Trump administration on foreign policy matters and was directly involved in diplomatic talks with Iran in the aftermath of this year’s war.

Baker served concurrently as White House deputy national security adviser and the vice president’s national security adviser, placing him in Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump’s respective orbits.

Baker was characterized in a Politico profile in February as “a self-described ‘realist’ who is skeptical of traditional American alliances and U.S. military intervention abroad” and said he “aligns with the ‘restrainer’ wing” of the GOP.

News of his departure comes after Cliff Sims was tapped to succeed Baker as the vice president’s national security advisor in May. A source close to Baker told JI that he stayed in the role for months longer than planned to allow for “smooth transitions” for Sims and State Department Counselor Michael Needham, a top Rubio aide who also serves as a White House deputy national security advisor alongside Baker. 

Baker, who has young children, is planning to enter the private sector in order to spend more time with his family, a source close to Baker told JI. Baker is joining America Global Strategies, a political consulting firm run by Robert O’Brien, the White House national security advisor in the first Trump administration, according to a source familiar with the situation. 

“This has been an amazing journey,” Baker said in a statement on his departure. “I’m proud of everything we’ve achieved and, of course, am incredibly grateful to the president, vice president, and Secretary Rubio. I’ll never be far away.”

Vance described Baker as “an exceptionally gifted, deeply thoughtful advisor who has served the president and me with distinction. He has been an indispensable member of our administration’s national security team.”

“For the over three years that Andy has been by my side, I’ve always valued his counsel and have been grateful for the difficult work he’s done to ensure the United States is the safest, most secure, and most capable nation on Earth,” the vice president said in a statement. 

Rubio said, “Andy has been an invaluable asset and key member of the President’s national security team who has greatly advanced the America First agenda. Andy has been a trusted, loyal, and critical advisor through every success and I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors!”

White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said in a statement that, “From day one, Andy has worked tirelessly to put America first and get deals done for the President around the world. He’s also a great friend.”

“Andy is a brilliant foreign policy mind and close friend,” Needham said of Baker. “I look forward to continuing to benefit from his insights as he advances America’s interests from the outside.”