White House Situation Room

The White House Situation Room is a conference room and intelligence management center on the ground floor of the West Wing of the White House. It is run by the National Security Council staff for the use of the President of the United States and his advisors (including the National Security Advisor, the Deputy for Homeland Security and the White House Chief of Staff) to monitor and deal with crises at home and abroad and to conduct secure communications with outside (often overseas) persons. The Situation Room is equipped with secure, advanced communications equipment for the President to maintain command and control of U.S. forces around the world.

Origin and staff

The Situation Room was created in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion was attributed to a lack of real-time information. The room has secure communications systems built into it and the walls contain wood panels that hide different audio, video and other systems.

The Situation Room is staffed by a number of senior officers from various agencies in the intelligence community and from the military (approximately 30 personnel). These individuals stand watch on a 24-hour basis, constantly monitoring world events and keeping senior White House staff apprised of significant events.

Functions

The mission of the Situation Room is to provide current intelligence and crisis...
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