White House tries for a leaner National Security Council
White House tries for a leaner National Security Council Monday June 22 nd , 2015 at 11:13 PM 1 Share White House press secretary Josh Earnest and National Security Adviser Susan E. Rice walk to Marine 1 on the South Lawn of the White House. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images) The White House acknowledged Monday, at least indirectly, that its vast National Security Council staff, the subject of considerable criticism both within and outside the administration, has grown unwieldy and could use some streamlining. “To ensure the NSC staff is a lean, nimble, and policy-oriented organization, we are reversing the trend of growth . . . to align our staffing with our strategic priorities,” NSC Chief of Staff Suzy George said in a statement posted on a White House blog Monday evening. She noted that growth has occurred “across successive administrations” and said that “this is not about downsizing for its own sake; it’s about gra