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Briefing Room

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
May 19, 2015

Readout of the President’s Meeting with the National Security Council on ISIL

The President met today with his National Security Council to discuss the situation in Iraq and our strategy to counter the threat posed by ISIL in Iraq and Syria.  The President was briefed on the latest developments in Iraq and our support to the Iraqi security forces and local tribal fighters responding to the situation in Anbar province.  The President reaffirmed the strong U.S. support for Prime Minister Al-Abadi’s efforts, and welcomed the decision issued earlier today by the Iraqi Council of Ministers to accelerate the training and equipping of local tribes in coordination with Anbar authorities, expand recruitment into the Iraqi Army, train local police, and develop a consolidated plan to retake Ramadi with all associated forces acting under Iraqi command.  The President reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the Government of Iraq and the Iraqi people in the fight against ISIL.

Participants in today’s meeting included:

  • The Vice President
  • John Kerry, Secretary of State (via secure phone)
  • Ashton Carter, Secretary of Defense
  • Jeh Johnson, Secretary of Homeland Security
  • Denis McDonough, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff
  • Susan Rice, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
  • Ambassador Samantha Power, Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations (via secure video teleconference)
  • Neil Eggleston, Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President
  • James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence
  • John Brennan, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
  • Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism
  • Avril Haines, Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor
  • Benjamin Rhodes, Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting
  • Antony Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State (via secure video teleconference)
  • Christine Wormuth, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
  • ADM James Winnefeld, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • John Mulligan, Deputy Director of the National Counterterrorism Center
  • GEN Lloyd Austin, Commander, U.S. Central Command (via secure video teleconference)
  • Amb. Stuart Jones, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq (via secure video teleconference)
  • John Allen, Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL
  • Brett McGurk, Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL
  • Colin Kahl, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President
  • Suzanne George, Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff of the National Security Council
  • Brian Egan, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President
  • Rob Malley, Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and Gulf Region