Dina Habib, President Trump’s senior counsellor for economic initiatives, has been named as a deputy national security adviser for strategy, Trump administration officials said Wednesday.
The selection of Ms.Habib is the most high-profile appointment on the National Security Council staff since Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster was picked last month to serve as Mr. Trump’s national security adviser.
K. T. McFarland will continue to serve as another deputy national security adviser, making her the second-ranking official after General McMaster.
Ms. Habib was asked to take the job by General McMaster, who wants to put a greater emphasis at the council on developing and implementing strategy. While she does not have extensive experience on national security issues, Ms. Powell has spent 15 years in government, has worked in the private sector and has a broad network of contacts.
Ms. Habib also works closely with Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, and will be his closest liaison with the council.
She was born in Egypt, is fluent in Arabic and participated in Mr. Trump’s meeting this week with Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Arabian deputy crown prince and defence minister.
She will be tasked with drafting the United States national security strategy, a comprehensive statement of the administration’s foreign policy and defense goals, which is issued by the White House.
