Memorandum Regarding Precedent for the Service of Active Duty Three-Star Generals and Flag Officers as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

This report discusses precedents for having an active duty three-star general and flag officers as the National Security Advisor to the President after President Trump appointed U.S. Army Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster, Jr. as the National Security Advisor. It first explains the National Security Council, the policy-making processes it oversees, and the role of the National Security Advisor within the Executive Branch. It then explores these prior precedents of active duty three-star generals and flag officers serving as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and includes discussions of related statutory provisions