As his top national security advisors gathered for an urgent
Saturday meeting to discuss the terrorist threat that has forced the United
States to close embassies overseas, President Obama was at Camp David
celebrating his birthday with friends.
Sixteen senior officials participated in the unusual gathering,
according to the White House. Among them were National Security Advisor Susan
Rice, who chaired the session, Secretary of State John
Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff Martin Dempsey, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough,
and Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism
Lisa Monaco, and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
Obama was briefed after the session by Rice and Monaco, according
to the White House. The White House said Obama has “received frequent briefings
over the last week” on the threat.
Obama, whose birthday is today, was already celebrating at least a
day early, playing golf in the morning with 11
longtime buddies and then traveling with them to Camp David, where the party
continued. The president is scheduled to return to the White House today.
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