White House National Security Staffers Shift

Just released from the White House communications shop:

The White House today announced that Deputy National Security Director and National Security Council chief of staff Mark Lippert will be returning to active duty in the U.S. Navy. Denis McDonough will remain Deputy National Security Advisor and assume the role of chief of staff to the National Security Council. Ben Rhodes will assume the role of Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications. Nate Tibbits will be the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council.

Ben Smith at Politico had the scoop on McDonough’s advancement. And as many, many people at the Pentagon and State Department will tell you — with varying degrees of frustration — the White House is where foreign policy is made in the Obama administration.