Which set of officials are members of the NSC?

• A. SECDEF, Secretary of State, and Secretary of the Treasury
• B. Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State
• C. All four including Attorney General
• D. Secretary of Energy

Answer: (A)

The NSC is formed to bring together the leaders who control the key levers of national security: defense, diplomacy, and the means to finance and sustain policy. The Secretary of Defense provides the military policy and force posture, the Secretary of State handles diplomacy, alliances, and international negotiations, and the Secretary of the Treasury brings the economic and financial tools that can influence national security—sanctions, funding, and economic statecraft. This combination covers the primary ways the United States acts on security threats and crises.

The Secretary of Energy focuses on energy and technical research, which, while important, is not a standard permanent NSC member in the classic lineup. The Attorney General is not a universal formal member of the NSC either, so a set that includes them isn’t the typical core trio. Therefore, the trio of Defense, State, and Treasury best matches the officials who are traditionally considered members of the NSC.