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“The NSC is the ultimate Deep State,” a White House official told Axios. “It’s Marco vs. the Deep State. We’re gutting the Deep State,” the official said, noting that people removed from the NSC will be placed in other government roles. Rubio also oversaw massive cuts at the State Department last month. The NSC is tasked with advising the president on foreign policy and other matters of national security and helping coordinate policies across various government agencies.  U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio oversaw the downsizing as part of his role as interim national security advisor. DREW ANGERER via Getty Images But another White House official told Axios the restructured NSC would serve to “coordinate and advise — not carry out — policy.” People familiar with the matter told CNN that staffers were given less than an hour to clean out their desks. They also said NSC employees were recently re-interviewed by the Office of Presidential Personnel as part of a plan to scale back the department. Sources familiar with the dismissals also told The Washington Post that affected staffers included both career officials and political appointees. “The right-sizing of the NSC is in line with its original purpose and the president’s vision,” Rubio told Axios in a statement. “The NSC will now be better positioned to collaborate with agencies.”