Late last week the President asked his national security team to prepare a range of options that could help support Iraq and counter the threat from ISIL. This evening after returning to the White House from California, the President met with his National Security Council to discuss the situation in Iraq. The President will continue to consult with his national security team in the days to come.
Participants in today’s meeting included:
The Vice President
Secretary of State John Kerry
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel
Attorney General Eric Holder
White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough
National Security Advisor Susan Rice
Counselor to the President John Podesta
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power
White House Counsel Neil Eggleston
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Brennan
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff James Winnefeld
U.S. Central Command Commander Lloyd Austin
Deputy National Security Advisor Antony Blinken
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco
Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Benjamin Rhodes
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran Brett McGurk
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Robert Stephen Beecroft