Another Trump aide bites the dust

President Donald Trump's deputy national security adviser, Dina Powell, plans to resign early next year, the White House says.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders on Friday said Powell had always planned to stay one year before returning home to New York, and that she would continue "to support the president's agenda and work on Middle East policy".

National Security Adviser HR McMaster in a statement called Powell an "invaluable member" of the President's team and praised her as one of "the most talented and effective leaders with whom I have ever served."

McMaster said: "Her sage advice helped provide options to the president and her strong relationships across the U.S. government and internationally helped drive execution of the president's decisions."

Powell was originally hired to work for the Trump administration on economic development at the behest of Trump's daughter, Ivanka, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

But the Egyptian-American with international experience and fluency in Arabic was soon moved to the National Security Council.

Powell's foreign policy experience was forged under Condoleezza Rice, who brought her into the State Department when George W. Bush's administration was trying to improve diplomacy in the Middle East.

Kushner applauded Powell's work and said she would "continue to play a key role" in efforts to secure peace in the Middle East."