PROJECT 2025 –  #8

BLOG DISCLAIMER

This blog was created as a public service.

It is a Cliff’s Notes version of the actual 900 pages of text found in PROJECT 2025. 

It is not a commentary. 

Most importantly - It DOES NOT reflect my opinion in any way.

 

 

Executive Office of the President – part 2

National Security Council, National Economic Council,  Office of the US Trade Representative and Council of Economic Advisors

This section was written by Russ Vought

[Bio from Wikipedia – BA Weaton College, JD GWU. Acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, 2019-20. Founder, Center for Renewing America which is focused on combating critical race theory. In February 2023, the Center published a paper calling for a “dormant NATO, wherein Europe is the primary security provider of the European front.” Jeffrey Clark is the Center’s director of litigation]

 

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (NSC)
            The National Security Council (NSC) was established by statute to support the President in developing and implementing national security policy led by a National Security Advisor (NSA). The NSA should immediately evaluate and eliminate directorates that are not aligned with the President’s agenda and replace them with new directorates as appropriate that can drive implementation of the President’s signature national security priorities. 
            To accomplish national objectives effectively, foreign policy should fully incorporate the economic instruments of national power.
             NSC staff leads, under the direction of the NSA, should have the discretion to reduce the number of positions that need high-level clearances.
            The NSC should take a leading role in directing the drafting and thorough review of all formal strategies: the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strat­egy, the Nuclear Posture Review, the Missile Defense Strategy, etc. In particular, the National Defense Strategy, which by tradition has evaded significant review, should be prioritized for White House review by the NSC and OMB. Both should also conduct reviews of operational war plans and global force planning and allo­cations with the Secretary of Defense to align them with presidential priorities and review all key policy and guidance intended for implementation by the heads of the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the Intelligence Community before they are authorized for distribution. 
            The NSC should rigorously review all general and flag officer promotions to prioritize the core roles and responsibilities of the military over social engineering and non-defense matters, including climate change, critical race theory, manufactured extremism, and other polarizing policies that weaken our armed forces and discourage our nation’s finest men and women from enlisting to serve in defense of our liberty.
            NSA should prioritize staffing the vast majority of NSC directorates with aligned political appointees and trusted career officials. Moreover, while the NSC should be fully incorporated into the White House, it should also be allowed to do its job without the impediment of dually hatted staff that report to other offices. For instance, the NSC needs its own counsel to inform what legal options can be provided to the President.

 

NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL (NEC)

            Director and Deputy Director are the officials who are primarily responsible for the development of economic policymaking for the Administration. The NEC needs to work closely with other offices within the Executive Office of the President to promote innovation by the private sector and create an envi­ronment that will stimulate economic activity while reducing federal spending and debt. International economic policy should be entirely coordinated by the NEC. 

            A few areas will be especially important if the NEC is to develop a well-defined economic policy agenda. One is the promotion of innovation as a foundation for economic growth and opportunity. Another is the creation of an environment that fosters economic growth through tax reform and the elimination of regulatory and procedural barriers.

 

OFFICE OF THE US TRADE REPRESENTATIVE (USTR)

            The People’s Republic of China’s predatory trade practices have disrupted the open-market trading system that has provided mutual benefit to all participating countries—including China—for decades. The failure of the World Trade Organi­zation (WTO) to discipline China for abrogation of its trading commitments has seriously undermined its credibility and made it a largely ineffective institution. The United States, through an empowered USTR, must act to rebalance and refocus international trading relationships in favor of democratic nations that embrace free, fair, and open trade principles built on market-driven economies.

            

COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISORS (CEA)

Congress established the Council of Economic Advisers in 1946 to advise the President on economic policy based on data, research, and evidence. The CEA is one of the oldest congressionally created offices within the White House complex and plays a broad role in bringing economic expertise to Administration policy across a large range of policy areas. The CEA has one presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed chair, two presidentially appointed members who assist and often have expertise that complements the chair, and approximately 40 staff employees. 

Statutorily, the CEA is charged with being the President’s principal source of economic advice. However, this role has diminished over time as its policy appraisal and especially formulation and recommendation functions have been taken over or diluted by other economic policy bodies within the White House.

 

Stay tuned for Blog #9 – Executive Office of the President, part 3

Remember, please – read, comment, pass it on