Organization of the National Security Council and Subcommittees

Excerpt:  “As President, my highest priority and responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of the United States and its people.  The national and homeland security threats facing the United States are complex and rapidly evolving.  These issues often do not fit neatly into the categories that single departments and agencies are designed to optimally address, a fact recognized and exploited by our strategic competitors and adversaries in their adoption of whole-of-government and even whole-of-society approaches. The United States Government’s decision-making structures and processes to address national security challenges must therefore be equally adaptive and comprehensive.  They must be able to competently design and execute cooperative and integrated interagency solutions to address these problems, and protect and advance the national interests of the United States.  Therefore, to advise and assist me in this endeavor, I hereby direct that my system for national security policy development, decision-making, implementation, and monitoring shall be organized as set forth in this Memorandum.”