United States National Security Advisor facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Susan Rice, official State Dept photo portrait, 2009
Susan Rice, the current National Security Advisor

The National Security Advisor, officially known as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, serves as the top advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues. This person serves on the National Security Council within the President's Executive Office.

The National Security Advisor is appointed by the President, and does not have to be approved by the United States Senate. The current National Security Advisor is Susan Rice. Rice replaced Tom Donilon on June 5, 2013 after Barack Obama became President of the United States.

List of National Security Advisors and the Presidents under whom they served:

Name Term President
Robert Cutler 1953–1955 Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dillon Anderson 1955–1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower
William Jackson 1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower
Robert Cutler (2nd time) 1957–1958 Dwight D. Eisenhower
Gordon Gray 1958–1961 Dwight D. Eisenhower
McGeorge Bundy 1961–1966 John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson
Walt Rostow 1966–1969 Lyndon Johnson
Henry Kissinger 1969–1975 Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford
Brent Scowcroft 1975–1977 Gerald Ford
Zbigniew Brzezinski 1977–1981 Jimmy Carter
Richard V. Allen 1981–1982 Ronald Reagan
William P. Clark, Jr. 1982–1983 Ronald Reagan
Robert McFarlane 1983–1985 Ronald Reagan
John Poindexter 1985–1986 Ronald Reagan
Frank Carlucci 1986–1987 Ronald Reagan
Colin Powell 1987–1989 Ronald Reagan
Brent Scowcroft (2nd time) 1989–1993 George H. W. Bush
Anthony Lake 1993–1997 Bill Clinton
Sandy Berger 1997–2001 Bill Clinton
Condoleezza Rice 2001–2005 George W. Bush
Stephen Hadley 2005–2009 George W. Bush
James L. Jones 2009-2010 Barack Obama
Tom Donilon 2010-2013 Barack Obama
Susan Rice 2013-present Barack Obama
National Security Advisors of the United States
Cutler • Anderson • Jackson • Cutler • Gray • Bundy • Rostow • Kissinger • Scowcroft • Brzezinski • Allen • Clark • McFarlane • Poindexter • Carlucci • Powell • Scowcroft • Lake • Berger • Rice • Hadley • Jones • Donilon • Rice
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