United States National Security Council
Encyclopedia
The White House
National Security Council (NSC) in the United States
is the principal forum used by the President of the United States
for considering national security
and foreign policy
matters with his senior national security advisor
s and Cabinet
officials and is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States
. Since its inception under Harry S. Truman
, the function of the Council has been to advise and assist the president on national security and foreign policies. The Council also serves as the president's principal arm for coordinating these policies among various government agencies. The U.S. Council has counterparts in the national security council
s of many other nations.
. It was created because policymakers felt that the diplomacy of the State Department was no longer adequate to contain the USSR in light of the tension between the Soviet Union and the United States. The intent was to ensure coordination and concurrence among the Navy
, Marine Corps
, Army
, Air Force
and other instruments of national security policy (such as the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA), also created in the National Security Act).
On May 26, 2009, President Barack Obama
merged the White House staff supporting the Homeland Security Council
(HSC) and the National Security Council into one National Security Staff (NSS). The HSC and NSC each continue to exist by statute as bodies supporting the president.
The decision process inside the structure has become less and less formal, but influence of the Council has become stronger and stronger. Detailed history of the National Security Council under each Presidential administration since its inception can be found at:
, the Secretary of State
, the Secretary of the Treasury
, the Secretary of Defense
, and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
(or National Security Advisor).
The Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
is the statutory military advisor to the Council, the Director of National Intelligence is the statutory intelligence advisor, and the Director of National Drug Control Policy is the statutory drug control policy advisor. The Chief of Staff to the President
, Counsel to the President
, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy are also invited to attend any NSC meeting. The Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget are invited to attend meetings pertaining to their responsibilities. The heads of other executive departments and agencies, as well as other senior officials, are invited to attend meetings of the NSC when appropriate.
(PL 235 – 61 Stat. 496; U.S.C. 402), amended by the National Security Act Amendments of 1949 (63 Stat. 579; 50 U.S.C. 401 et seq.). Later in 1949, as part of the Reorganization Plan, the Council was placed in the Executive Office of the President.
reports to the NSC.
, who has been placed on the kill list. There is no public record of its existence or its operations. The precise role the president plays in ordering or ratifying a decision to target a citizen is uncertain.
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
National Security Council (NSC) in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is the principal forum used by the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
for considering national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
and foreign policy
Foreign relations of the United States
The United States has formal diplomatic relations with most nations. The United States federal statutes relating to foreign relations can be found in Title 22 of the United States Code.-Pacific:-Americas:-Caribbean:...
matters with his senior national security advisor
National Security Advisor (United States)
The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
s and Cabinet
United States Cabinet
The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
officials and is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States
Executive Office of the President of the United States
The Executive Office of the President consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the President. The EOP is headed by the White House Chief of Staff, currently William M. Daley...
. Since its inception under Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, the function of the Council has been to advise and assist the president on national security and foreign policies. The Council also serves as the president's principal arm for coordinating these policies among various government agencies. The U.S. Council has counterparts in the national security council
National Security Council
A National Security Council is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security...
s of many other nations.
History
The National Security Council was created in 1947 by the National Security ActNational Security Act of 1947
The National Security Act of 1947 was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, and realigned and reorganized the U.S. Armed Forces, foreign policy, and Intelligence Community apparatus in the aftermath of World War II...
. It was created because policymakers felt that the diplomacy of the State Department was no longer adequate to contain the USSR in light of the tension between the Soviet Union and the United States. The intent was to ensure coordination and concurrence among the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and other instruments of national security policy (such as the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA), also created in the National Security Act).
On May 26, 2009, President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
merged the White House staff supporting the Homeland Security Council
Homeland Security Council
The Homeland Security Council is an entity within the White House Office tasked with advising the President on matters relating to Homeland Security...
(HSC) and the National Security Council into one National Security Staff (NSS). The HSC and NSC each continue to exist by statute as bodies supporting the president.
The decision process inside the structure has become less and less formal, but influence of the Council has become stronger and stronger. Detailed history of the National Security Council under each Presidential administration since its inception can be found at:
- HistoryHistory of the United States National Security CouncilSince the end of World War II, each administration has sought to develop and perfect a reliable set of executive institutions to manage national security policy. Each President has tried to avoid the problems and deficiencies of his predecessors' efforts and install a policy-making and coordination...
- 1947–1953
- 1953–1961
- 1961–1963
- 1963–1969
- 1969–1974
- 1974–1977
- 1977–1981
- 1981–1989
- 1989–1992
- 1993–presentHistory of the United States National Security Council 1993–presentThis article is about the history of the United States National Security Council, 1993 to the present.-Clinton Administration:President William J. Clinton on January 20, 1993, the day of his inauguration, issued Presidential Decision Directive 1 to departments and agencies concerned with national...
Membership
The National Security Council is chaired by the president. Its regular attendees (both statutory and non-statutory) are the Vice President of the United StatesVice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
, the Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
, the Secretary of the Treasury
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
, the Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
, and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
National Security Advisor (United States)
The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
(or National Security Advisor).
The Chairman
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
is the statutory military advisor to the Council, the Director of National Intelligence is the statutory intelligence advisor, and the Director of National Drug Control Policy is the statutory drug control policy advisor. The Chief of Staff to the President
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
, Counsel to the President
White House Counsel
The White House Counsel is a staff appointee of the President of the United States.-Role:The Counsel's role is to advise the President on all legal issues concerning the President and the White House...
, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy are also invited to attend any NSC meeting. The Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget are invited to attend meetings pertaining to their responsibilities. The heads of other executive departments and agencies, as well as other senior officials, are invited to attend meetings of the NSC when appropriate.
| Structure of the United States National Security Council (Current) | |
|---|---|
| Chair | Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... (President of the United States President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... ) |
| Statutory Attendees | Joe Biden Joe Biden Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama... (Vice President of the United States Vice President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term... ) Hillary Clinton (Secretary of State United States Secretary of State The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence... ) Leon Panetta Leon Panetta Leon Edward Panetta is the 23rd and current United States Secretary of Defense, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama since 2011. Prior to taking office, he served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency... (Secretary of Defense) Steven Chu Steven Chu Steven Chu is an American physicist and the 12th United States Secretary of Energy. Chu is known for his research at Bell Labs in cooling and trapping of atoms with laser light, which won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997, along with his scientific colleagues Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and... (Secretary of Energy) |
| Military Advisor | Gen. Martin Dempsey Martin Dempsey General Martin E. Dempsey, USA is the 18th and current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He previously served 149 days as the 37th Chief of Staff of the Army from April 11, 2011 to September 7, 2011. Prior to that, he served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command from... (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense... ) |
| Intelligence Advisor | Lt. Gen. James R. Clapper James R. Clapper James R. Clapper, Jr. is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force and is currently the Director of National Intelligence. He was previously dual-hatted as the first Director of Defense Intelligence within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence alongside the position... (Ret.) (Director of National Intelligence) |
| Drug Policy Advisor | Gil Kerlikowske Gil Kerlikowske Richard Gil Kerlikowske is the current Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a position generally referred to as the United States "Drug Czar". He assumed office on May 7, 2009.... (Director of National Drug Control Policy) |
| Regular Attendees | Tom Donilon (National Security Advisor National Security Advisor (United States) The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues... ) William M. Daley William M. Daley William Michael “Bill” Daley is an American lawyer and former banker and is the current White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama. He served as U.S... (White House Chief of Staff White House Chief of Staff The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:... ) Denis McDonough Denis McDonough Denis R. McDonough is a foreign policy advisor in the Obama Administration. He currently serves as Deputy National Security Advisor.-Early life and education:... (Deputy National Security Advisor Deputy National Security Advisor The Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor is a member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, serving as deputy to the President's National Security Advisor.... ) |
| Additional Participants | Tim Geithner (Secretary of the Treasury) Eric Holder Eric Holder Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. is the 82nd and current Attorney General of the United States and the first African American to hold the position, serving under President Barack Obama.... (Attorney General) Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st... (Secretary of Homeland Security) Kathryn Ruemmler Kathryn Ruemmler Kathryn Ruemmler is an attorney who currently serves as White House Counsel to President Barack Obama. She previously worked as Principal Deputy White House Counsel.-Early life and education:... (Counsel to the President) Gene Sperling Gene Sperling Gene B. Sperling is an American lawyer and political figure, currently serving as a Counselor to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. He is also on the staff of the Council on Foreign Relations, where he serves as Senior Fellow for Economic Policy and Director of the Center on Universal Education. He... (Assistant to the President for Economic Policy) Susan Rice (Ambassador to the United Nations United States Ambassador to the United Nations The United States Ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is more formally known as the "Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador... ) Jacob Lew Jacob Lew Jacob "Jack" J. Lew is the Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget a position he previously held from 1998 to 2001.-Early life and education:... (Director of Office of Management and Budget) David Petraeus David Petraeus David Howell Petraeus is the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, sworn in on September 6, 2011. Prior to his assuming the directorship of the CIA, Petraeus was a four-star general serving over 37 years in the United States Army. His last assignments in the Army were as commander... (Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Director of the Central Intelligence Agency serves as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, which is part of the United States Intelligence Community. The Director reports to the Director of National Intelligence . The Director is assisted by the Deputy Director of the Central... ) John O. Brennan John O. Brennan John O. Brennan is chief counterterrorism advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama; officially his title is Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President... (Homeland Security Advisor) |
Staff
- Assistant to the President for National Security AffairsNational Security Advisor (United States)The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
: Thomas E. DonilonThomas E. DonilonThomas E. “Tom” Donilon is the National Security Advisor in the Obama Administration, and has had a career as a U.S. political advisor, government official and lawyer...
- Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and Deputy National Security AdvisorDeputy National Security AdvisorThe Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor is a member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, serving as deputy to the President's National Security Advisor....
: John O. BrennanJohn O. BrennanJohn O. Brennan is chief counterterrorism advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama; officially his title is Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President...
- Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security: Heidi E. Avery
- Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security AdvisorDeputy National Security AdvisorThe Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor is a member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, serving as deputy to the President's National Security Advisor....
: Denis McDonoughDenis McDonoughDenis R. McDonough is a foreign policy advisor in the Obama Administration. He currently serves as Deputy National Security Advisor.-Early life and education:...
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications: Ben Rhodes
- SpokesmanSpokesmanA spokesperson or spokesman or spokeswoman is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have received formal training in journalism, communications, public relations and...
: Mike Hammer
- Spokesman
- Deputy Assistant to the President, Deputy White House Counsel and Legal Advisor to the National Security Council: Mary DeRosa
- Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs: Michael FromanMichael FromanMichael Froman is deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs, a position to be held jointly at the National Security Council and the National Economic Council...
- Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Council Chief of Staff and Counselor: Brooke D. AndersonBrooke D. AndersonBrooke D. Anderson is an American diplomat. She is a current deputy to Susan Rice, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Anderson has been the United States Ambassador and Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs since April 1, 2010....
- Special Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary of the National Security Council: Nate Tibbits
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Strategic Planning and Institutional Reform: Derek Chollet
- Special Assistant to the President, Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan: Lt. Gen. Douglas LuteDouglas LuteDouglas Edward Lute, born November 3, 1952, is a service lieutenant general in the United States Army. On 15 May 2007, Lute was appointed by George W. Bush to serve as Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan, also known as the "War Czar", a senior...
- Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for Arms Control and WMD, Proliferation and Terrorism: Gary Samore
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs: Samantha PowerSamantha PowerSamantha Power is an Irish American academic, governmental official and writer. She is currently a Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and runs the Office of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights as Senior Director of Multilateral Affairs on the Staff of the National Security Council...
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Global Development, Stabilization and Humanitarian Assistance: Gayle Smith
- Special Assistant to the President and Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard SchmidtHoward SchmidtHoward A. Schmidt is the Cyber-Security Coordinator of the Obama Administration, operating in the Executive Office of the President of the United States.One of Schmidt's leading policy objectives is the development of "National Strategy for...
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Non-Proliferation: Dan Poneman
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Defense: Christine Wormuth
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs: Mike Epperson
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism: Nick Rasmussen
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs: Dan Restrepo
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Europe: Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russia and Eurasian Affairs: Michael McFaulMichael McFaulMichael Anthony McFaul is a Stanford University professor and the nominee for United States Ambassador to Russia. Prior to his nomination to the ambassadorial position, McFaul worked for the U.S. National Security Council as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director of Russian and...
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Central Region: Dennis RossDennis RossDennis B. Ross is an American diplomat and author. He has served as the Director of Policy Planning in the State Department under President George H. W...
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Near East and North Africa: Daniel B. ShapiroDaniel B. ShapiroDaniel B. Shapiro is the 19th United States Ambassador to Israel. He was nominated by President Obama on March 29, 2011, and confirmed by the Senate on May 29. He was sworn in as ambassador by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on July 8, 2011....
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Africa: Michelle Gavin
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Gulf States, Iran and Iraq: Puneet Talwar
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for South Asia: Anish Goel
- Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Asia: Jeffrey Bader
- Senior Director for Global Engagement: Pradeep Ramamurthy
- Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications: Ben Rhodes
- Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and Deputy National Security Advisor
Authority
The National Security Council was established by the National Security Act of 1947National Security Act of 1947
The National Security Act of 1947 was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, and realigned and reorganized the U.S. Armed Forces, foreign policy, and Intelligence Community apparatus in the aftermath of World War II...
(PL 235 – 61 Stat. 496; U.S.C. 402), amended by the National Security Act Amendments of 1949 (63 Stat. 579; 50 U.S.C. 401 et seq.). Later in 1949, as part of the Reorganization Plan, the Council was placed in the Executive Office of the President.
High Value Detainee Interrogation Group
The High Value Detainee Interrogation GroupHigh-Value Interrogation Group
The High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group is an intelligence-gathering group created by the President of the United States in August 2009. Its charter was drawn up in April 2010. It is intended to centralize government expertise in enhanced interrogation techniques...
reports to the NSC.
Kill Authorizations
A subset of the NSC may authorize US citizens to be killed. The members of the group that make the decision to kill are unknown, as are the rules which govern their decisions or the laws under which they operate. It is also unknown, outside of Anwar al-AwlakiAnwar al-Awlaki
Anwar al-Awlaki was an American and Yemeni imam who was an engineer and educator by training. According to U.S. government officials, he was a senior talent recruiter and motivator who was involved with planning operations for the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda...
, who has been placed on the kill list. There is no public record of its existence or its operations. The precise role the president plays in ordering or ratifying a decision to target a citizen is uncertain.
See also
- National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection and Counter-TerrorismPDD-62Presidential Decision Directive 62 , titled Combating Terrorism, was a Presidential Decision Directive , signed on May 22, 1998 by President Bill Clinton. It identified the fight against terrorism a top national security priority....
- National Security MedalNational Security MedalThe National Security Medal was a decoration of the United States of America officially established by President Harry S. Truman in Executive Order 10431 of January 19, 1953...
- Iran Contra
- Targeted killingTargeted killingTargeted killing is the deliberate, specific targeting and killing, by a government or its agents, of a supposed terrorist or of a supposed "unlawful combatant" who is not in that government's custody...
- Tower CommissionTower CommissionCommissioned on November 26, 1986 by American President Ronald Reagan, the Tower Commission was in response to the Iran Contra scandal. Taking effect on December 1, Reagan appointed Republican and former Senator John Tower of Texas, former Secretary of State Edmund Muskie, and former National...
Further reading
- Ivo H. Daalder and I.M. Destler, In the Shadow of the Oval Office: Profiles of the National Security Advisers and the Presidents They Served—From JFK to George W. Bush Simon & Schuster; 2009, ISBN 978-1-4165-5319-9.
- Karl F. Inderfurth and Loch K. Johnson, eds. Fateful Decisions: Inside the National Security Council. Oxford University Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-19-515966-0.
- David J. Rothkopf, Running The World: the Inside Story of the National Security Council and the Architects of American Power, PublicAffairs; 2006, ISBN 978-1-58648-423-1.
- Journey to the Center of the World: U.S. National Security Council – Arzın Merkezine Seyahat: ABD Ulusal Güvenlik Konseyi – Article on US NSC in Turkish
- Cody M. Brown, The National Security Council: A Legal History of the President's Most Powerful Advisers, Project on National Security Reform (2008).
- M. Kent Bolton, U.S. National Security and Foreign Policymaking after 9/11: Present at the Re-Creation, Rowman & Littlefield; 2007, ISBN 978-0-7425-4847-3.
External links
- Official National Security Council website
- Records of the National Security Council (NSC) in the National Archives
- White House Office, National Security Council Staff Papers, 1948–1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
- Homeland Security Watch (www.HLSwatch.com) provides current details on the NSC as it pertains to homeland security.