The assistant to the president for homeland security, commonly referred to as the Homeland Security Advisor, is a senior aide in the

National Security Council A national security council (NSC) is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security. An NSC is often headed by a n ...

, based in the

West Wing The West Wing of the White House is the location of the office space of the president of the United States. The West Wing contains the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room (White House), Cabinet Room, the White House Situation Room, Situation Room, a ...

of the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

, who serves as principal advisor to the

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

homeland security Homeland security is an American national security term for "the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive" to ...

and

counterterrorism Counterterrorism (alternatively spelled: counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, relates to the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, businesses, and Intelligence agency, intelligence ...

issues. The Homeland Security Advisor is also a statutory member of the United States Homeland Security Council. Serving at the pleasure of the President, the Homeland Security Advisor does not require Senate confirmation for appointment to the office.

History

In the immediate aftermath of the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...

, President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

announced the creation of the interim Office of Homeland Security as a cabinet-level office in a speech to a joint session of Congress. He appointed

Tom Ridge Thomas Joseph Ridge (born August 26, 1945) is an American politician and author who served in the Presidency of George W. Bush, George W. Bush administration as the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security from 2001 to 2003 and as the U ...

as its first director. The Homeland Security Council was formally created on October 5, 2001, replacing the Office of Homeland Security. Under the George W. Bush administration, the Homeland Security Advisor was independent of the

, residing within the Homeland Security Council. Under the Obama administration, while the Homeland Security Council remained, the Advisor held the title of Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, subordinating the position to the national security advisor. At the start of the Trump administration, the position of Homeland Security Advisor, occupied by Tom Bossert, was elevated to the rank of Assistant to the President, making it equal in rank to the National Security Advisor. However, after clashes with the National Security Advisor, John Bolton, the position returned to the rank of Deputy Assistant to the President and was subordinate to the National Security Advisor. And most recently under the

Biden administration Joe Biden's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 46th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Joe Biden, his inauguration on January 20, 2021, and ended on January 20, 2025. Biden, a member of the Democr ...

, the Homeland Security Council remained. The Homeland Security Advisor (

Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall Elizabeth D. Sherwood-Randall (; born October 4, 1959) is an American national security and energy leader, public servant, educator, and author who served as the 11th United States Homeland Security Advisor in the Biden administration from 2021 ...

) concurrently held the title and served as the

Deputy National Security Advisor The United States Deputy National Security Advisor is a member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and the United States National Security Council, serving under the President's National Security Advisor (United States), N ...

for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, subordinating the position to the National Security Advisor.

List of homeland security advisors

Titles

*Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (September 20, 2001 – July 28, 2004) *Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (July 28, 2004 – January 20, 2009) *

for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017) *Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (January 20, 2017 – May 31, 2018) *Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (June 1, 2018 – January 20, 2021) *Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor and

(January 20, 2021 – January 20, 2025) *Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor (January 20, 2025 – present)

References

{{Authority control Assistants to the president of the United States

History

List of homeland security advisors

Titles

See also

References