The White House released a photo Friday of President Donald Trump receiving a national security briefing in regard to the US strike on a Syrian airbase, retaliation for the chemical weapons attack earlier this week.
The photo, edited for security reasons, shows Trump huddling with top national security and economic advisers in a tight room, as he stares at a television monitor off frame.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer tweeted the photo of the meeting Friday morning. He said the briefing included Trump’s national security advisors, vice president Mike Pence and secretary of defense James Mattis.
“WH photo (ed for security): @potus receives briefing on #syria military strike fr Nat Security team, inc @vp , SECDEF, CJCS via secure VTC,” Spicer tweeted.
In a separate tweet, Spicer added the time and location the briefing took place.
“Photo taken, after strike, approximately 9:15pm ET on Thursday April 6, 2017 in SCIF at Mar-a-Lago,” he tweeted.
So who’s in the photo?
At the table, from left to right:
Joe Hagin, deputy chief of staff for operations
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser
Steve Mnuchin, secretary of treasury
Wilbur Ross, secretary of commerce
President Trump, seated at the head of the table.
Rex Tillerson, secretary of state
H.R. McMaster, national security adviser
Reince Priebus, chief of staff
Not sitting at table:
Sean Spicer, press secretary
A military aide
Stephen Bannon, chief strategist who was recently removed from his National Security Council post
Stephen Miller, senior adviser
Michael Anton, senior national security official
Dina Powell, deputy national security adviser for strategy
Gary Cohn, chief economic adviser
Who’s not in the photo?
Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, who participated via secure teleconference from Washington, Spicer said.
Where was the photo taken?
At a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) at Mar-a-Lago, the Florida resort Trump frequents, according to Spicer.
What does the photo evoke?
The photo has already been likened to the iconic picture of former President Barack Obama huddled with his national security team in the White House Situation Room as they monitor via live video the killing of Osama bin Laden. The picture is shot from the same angle, with the president receiving a briefing on the operation he just ordered.
Does Kushner have security clearance?
Kushner has yet to detail to the federal government all of his foreign contacts, a condition of receiving his top secret security clearance. Most people in the photo appear to be looking at a screen on the table, but Kushner is looking resolutely over the table. It’s not clear if he’s looking at Secretary of State Rex Tillerson or beyond, to White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon.