Homeland Security Advisor

Assistant to the President for Homeland Security
File:The White House logo under Trump 2.0.jpg
File:2025 visit to National Guard soldiers by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller at Union Station in Washington,D.C.(cropped).jpg Incumbent Stephen Miller since January 20, 2025
Executive Office of the President Homeland Security Council
Member of	National Security Council Homeland Security Council
Reports to	President of the United States White House Chief of Staff United States National Security Advisor
Appointer	President of the United States
Constituting instrument	Homeland Security Act 2002
Formation	2001
First holder	Tom Ridge
Deputy	Anthony Salisbury

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, based in the West Wing of the White House, who serves as principal advisor to the president of the United States on homeland security and counterterrorism 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, President George W. Bush 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 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 National Security Council, 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, the Homeland Security Council remained. The homeland security advisor (Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall) concurrently held the title and served as the Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, subordinating the position to the National Security Advisor.

List of homeland security advisors

  Democratic   Republican   Independent

Denotes acting capacity.

No.	Image	Name		Start	End	Duration	President
1	File:Tom Ridge (cropped).jpg		Tom Ridge	October 8, 2001	January 24, 2003	1 year, 126 days		George W. Bush (2001–2009)
2	File:John A Gordon (cropped).jpg		John Gordon	April 30, 2003	July 28, 2004	1 year, 89 days
3	File:Frances Townsend.jpg		Fran Townsend	July 28, 2004	March 30, 2008	3 years, 246 days
4	File:Ken Wainstein (cropped).jpg		Ken Wainstein	March 30, 2008	January 20, 2009	296 days
5	File:John Brennan CIA official portrait (cropped).jpg		John Brennan	January 20, 2009	January 25, 2013	4 years, 5 days		Barack Obama (2009–2017)
6	File:Lisa Monaco --DOJ Portrait-- (cropped).jpg		Lisa Monaco	January 25, 2013	January 20, 2017	3 years, 361 days
7	File:Tom Bossert official photo (cropped).jpg		Tom Bossert	January 20, 2017	April 10, 2018	1 year, 49 days		Donald Trump (2017–2021)
–	File:Robert E. Joyce (cropped).jpg		Rob Joyce Acting	April 10, 2018	May 31, 2018	51 days
8	File:Douglas M. Fears (4).jpg		Doug Fears	June 1, 2018	July 12, 2019	1 year, 41 days
9	File:Peter J. Brown.jpg		Peter Brown	July 12, 2019	February 7, 2020	210 days
10	File:Julia Nesheiwat 2020 Portrait.jpg		Julia Nesheiwat	February 20, 2020	January 20, 2021	334 days
11	File:Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall DHS photo.jpg		Liz Sherwood-Randall	January 20, 2021	January 20, 2025	4 years, 0 days		Joe Biden (2021–2025)
12	File:2025 visit to National Guard soldiers by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller at Union Station in Washington,D.C.(cropped).jpg		Stephen Miller	January 20, 2025	Incumbent	1 year, 166 days		Donald Trump (2025–present)

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

See also

• Executive Office of the President