National Security Council
41 Articles
The Gravity of Michael Ellis’ Promotion to Senior Director for Intelligence at the White House
The person just put in charge of intelligence at the NSC was credibly accused of abusing the classification system in the Ukraine matter, and was even personally named in the articles…
If Trump’s Syria and Afghanistan Decisions Seem Bad, Imagine What He’d Do in a Crisis
National security advisors for presidents of both parties have developed a process over 70 years to optimize decision-making. That's particularly critical in those moments of extraordinary…
Exclusive: Trump White House’s Intelligence Chief Is Leaving
Michael Barry is the latest staffer on the powerful council to depart as National Security Adviser John Bolton brings on his own team.
Exclusive: Russia Hawk Axed From National Security Council
Shortly before Donald Trump detonated a NATO summit, shanked the beleaguered British prime minister and prepped for a face-to-face love session with Vladimir Putin, his White House…
Trump’s National Security Strategy is Decidedly Non-Trumpian
The Trump administration is preparing to roll out its new National Security Strategy, a document meant to guide its national security policies. Yet a Trump administration staffer…
Top Middle East Advisor is Removed from the National Security Council
National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster has removed Derek Harvey, the top Middle East advisor on the National Security Council (NSC), from his post on Thursday, according…
Exclusive: Trump’s Trolls Are Waging War on America’s Civil Servants
On June 11, alt-right blogger Mike Cernovich published an article attacking an assistant to National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, claiming the previously low-profile civil servant…
Exclusive: White House Officials Push For Widening War in Syria Over Pentagon Objections
A pair of top White House officials is pushing to broaden the war in Syria, viewing it as an opportunity to confront Iran and its proxy forces on the ground there, according to…
The Knives Are Out for Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster
This story is being cross-posted with Foreign Policy. Inside the White House, opponents of Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, President Donald Trump’s second national security adviser,…
Reading the Tea Leaves of Trump’s NSC Shakeup
The announcement on Wednesday that President Donald Trump had removed political advisor Stephen Bannon from his guaranteed seat on the National Security Council’s (NSC) Principals…
A Colleague’s Response to Finer and Malley on Obama’s Strategy Against Terrorism
The months since Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election have been a time for soul searching among those of us who served in the Obama Administration. Did our work…
McMaster on the Ethics of War
On Monday, Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster agreed to serve as National Security Advisor to the President. McMaster has written and spoken extensively on a range of topics, from…