National Security Advisor

The National Security Act of 1947 created the National Security Council but not the job of running it. In March 1953 President Dwight Eisenhower appointed the first Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs to manage the council's work, and the post grew into today's Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly called the National Security Advisor. The position is created by the President, not by statute, and does not require Senate confirmation, so its holders cannot be compelled to testify before Congress in the way cabinet officers can.

The National Security Advisor directs the National Security Council staff, chairs the Principals Committee of cabinet-level officials when the President is absent, and oversees the interagency process through which the State and Defense Departments, the intelligence community, and other agencies debate options and carry out decisions. The advisor briefs the President daily, manages crises, and often travels as a personal envoy. Some presidents have wanted an honest broker who presents options neutrally, while others have relied on advisors who were powerful policymakers in their own right.

Because the job is close to the President and free of Senate oversight, it has at times concentrated power in the White House, as in the 1986 Iran-Contra affair, when NSC staff secretly arranged arms sales to Iran and diverted proceeds to Nicaraguan rebels. In May 2025 the President removed his first National Security Advisor and named the Secretary of State to serve in the role at the same time, and the NSC staff was sharply reduced. Supporters of a lean staff said it would return policymaking to the departments, while critics said it weakened coordination and expertise on fast-moving crises.