One of Trump's top national security officials is leaving the White House

Jim Bourg/Reuters

Dina Powell.

• Deputy national security adviser Dina Powell will soon leave the administration, The Washington Post reported Friday.
• Powell is one of the top national security officials in the Trump White House.
• Her departure is the most significant exit from the White House staff since former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon left the administration in August.

One of the Trump administration's top national security officials is leaving the White House, The Washington Post reported Friday.

Dina Powell, the deputy national security adviser who is second-in-command after national security adviser H.R. McMaster, plans to leave the White House following President Donald Trump's first year in office, four senior administration officials told The Post.

Other outlets confirmed The Post's report.

Powell, according to The Post, is exiting on good terms with Trump and has discussed her departure with the president. A leading figure behind the administration's Middle East policy, Powell has consulted with Trump on how she can continue advising the administration on that area of foreign policy from outside the federal government.

Seeming to confirm that Powell is exiting the administration, McMaster told The Post that Powell is "one of the most talented and effective leaders with whom I have ever served."

"Dina has been an invaluable member of President Trump's team," McMaster said. "She organized and drove an effort to restore our nation's strategic competence. Dina ensured that our integrated strategies protected the American people and promoted American prosperity. Her sage advice helped provide options to the president and her strong relationships across the US government and internationally helped drive execution of the president's decisions."

"All of us look forward to continuing to work with her, as she continues to support this administration's efforts on Middle East peace and other issues," he added.

Following a tumultuous period over the summer that led to chief of staff Reince Priebus, press secretary Sean Spicer, chief strategist Steve Bannon, and communications director Anthony Scaramucci all leaving, the White House staff remained almost entirely intact over the past few months. Powell's impending departure marks the first major exodus from the White House since August, and The Post reports that it could be the first of a series of high-profile officials to leave following Trump's first year in office.

"Dina has done a great job for the administration and has been a valued member of the Israeli-Palestinian peace team," White House senior adviser Jared Kushner told The Post. "She will continue to play a key role in our peace efforts and we will share more details on that in the future."

Powell previously served as a senior official in President George W. Bush's administration and later worked as a partner and managing director at Goldman Sachs.

An unnamed White House official told The Post that Trump's relationship with Powell could be described as "really trusting," adding that his first year in office "would have been worse" without her.

"He talks to her all the time," the official said. "He trusts her judgment. She's been spot-on with her views on foreign leaders and how to handle them and talk to them. It comes with her years of experience."