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National Security Council

Under the terms of the National Security Act of 1947, the National Security Council (NSC) was intended to

advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to the national security so as to enable the military services and the other departments and agencies of the Government to cooperate more effectively in matters involving the national security.

Under the original statute, the members of the NSC included the president, secretary of state, secretary of defense, and the service secretaries of army, navy, and the newly established air force, and the president could designate other officials to attend meetings of this body. The 1949 National Security Act Amendments cut the mandated size of the board with only the president, vice president, secretary ...

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