Based in the White House, it is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, and composed of senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials.

In 2004, the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI) was created, taking over the responsibilities previously held by the head of the CIA, the director of central intelligence, as a cabinet-level position to oversee and coordinate activities of the Intelligence Community[2] 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).

[9] The reorganization also placed the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development as a permanent member of the Deputies Committee,[10] while the White House chief strategist was removed.

"[14] Homeland Security Advisor John O. Brennan, who helped codify targeted killing criteria by creating the Disposition Matrix database, has described the Obama Administration targeted killing policy by stating that "in order to ensure that our counterterrorism operations involving the use of lethal force are legal, ethical, and wise, President Obama has demanded that we hold ourselves to the highest possible standards and processes".

[14] On February 4, 2013, NBC published a leaked Department of Justice memo providing a summary of the rationale used to justify targeted killing of US citizens who are senior operational leaders of Al-Qa'ida or associated forces.

The heads of other executive departments and agencies, as well as other senior officials, are invited to attend meetings of the NSC when appropriate.

Invitations to participate in or attend specific meetings are extended to Deputy or Under Secretary level of executive departments and agencies and to other senior officials when relevant issues are discussed.

[24] The Directorate of Global Health Security and Biodefense was created by Barack Obama in 2016 in response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

"[26][27] The directorate was disbanded when a May 2018 change in organizational structure by John Bolton, Trump's recently appointed head of the National Security Council, resulted in the effective elimination of the office then led by Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer, Sr. Director for Global Health Security and Biothreats.

Remaining staff were moved to other NSC departments, prompting Ziemer's resignation, thus completing the elimination of the office.

"[32] The size of the team before cuts was estimated at 430 people, but the "thousands" referenced by the president also included reduction in the staff numbers of the CDC.

[35] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Archives and Records Administration.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of Justice.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Congressional Research Service.