Readout of Principals Committee Meeting on Current Threat

Early this week, the President instructed his National Security team to take all appropriate steps to protect the American people in light of a potential threat occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula. Given the nature of the potential threat, throughout the week, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco has held regular meetings with relevant members of the interagency to ensure the U.S. Government is taking those appropriate steps. This afternoon, National Security Advisor Rice chaired a meeting with the Principals Committee to further review the situation and follow-up actions. The President has received frequent briefings over the last week on all aspects of the potential threat and our preparedness measures. After today's Principals meeting, the President was again briefed by Amb. Rice and Ms. Monaco.

Attendees at today's meeting included:

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough

National Security Advisor Susan Rice

Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken

Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco

Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President Jeff Prescott

Secretary of State John Kerry

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper

Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Robert Mueller

Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Brennan

Director of the National Security Agency Keith Alexander

Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Matthew Olsen

Acting Assistant Attorney General John Carlin