---
aliases:
- National Security Council
- NSC
category: U.S. Government
created: 2025-07-22
location: Washington, D.C.
start: 1947-07-26
summary: Principal presidential forum for national security and foreign policy matters
  that under the Reagan administration became an operational intelligence agency running
  Oliver North's illegal Contra supply network.
tags:
- Organization
- Government
- USA
- NationalSecurity
- Presidential
- DarkAllianceInvestigation
title: National Security Council
updated: 2026-05-17
---

The National Security Council (NSC) is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with senior advisors and Cabinet officials.[^1]

### Psi Research

During the late 1970s, the NSC tasked remote viewers with highly sensitive intelligence problems, including the remote viewing of a new Soviet Typhoon-class submarine at Severodvinsk. The accuracy of sessions by [Joe McMoneagle](/people/joe-mcmoneagle/) sparked debate within the NSC regarding the value of psychic intelligence.[^1]

### Modern UAP Involvement

[Luis Elizondo](/people/luis-elizondo/) managed Special Access Programs for the NSC during his career. The NSC has been briefed on the [Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena](/concepts/unidentified-anomalous-phenomena/) issue by the [UAP Task Force](/organizations/uap-task-force/) and its successor, the [All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office](/organizations/all-domain-anomaly-resolution-office/).[^2]

### Dark Alliance Investigation

Under the Reagan administration, the NSC became an operational intelligence agency based inside the White House. It ran [Oliver North](/people/oliver-north/)'s illegal Contra supply network, known as "The Enterprise," after Congress cut off military aid through the [Boland Amendment](/events/boland-amendment/). CIA records showed that Hangar No. 4 at [Ilopango Airbase](/places/ilopango-airbase/) was used by the Agency for covert Contra operations until it was turned over to the NSC and North's network in 1985.[^3]

CIA agent [Dagoberto Nuñez](/people/moises-nunez/) revealed that since 1985 he had engaged in a clandestine relationship with the NSC, and refused to elaborate on narcotics trafficking because of the specific tasks he had performed at the NSC's direction. CIA headquarters ordered an immediate halt to his questioning.[^4]

The NSC's role became public after the October 1986 shootdown of a CIA cargo plane over [Nicaragua](/places/nicaragua/), exposing the [Iran-Contra Affair](/events/iran-contra-affair/). North was indicted on sixteen felony counts. The scandal revealed the NSC had been selling arms to [Iran](/places/iran/) and diverting profits to the [Contras](/organizations/contras/) in direct violation of congressional prohibitions.[^3]

[^1]: Schnabel, Jim. *Remote Viewers*. Dell, 1997.
[^2]: Elizondo, Luis. *Imminent*. William Morrow, 2024.
[^3]: Webb, Gary. *Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion.* Seven Stories Press, 1998. Chapter 15 and Cast of Characters
[^4]: Webb, Gary. *Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion.* Seven Stories Press, 1998. Chapter 14: "It's bigger than I can handle"