Template:(9:05 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Condoleezza Rice

(9:05 a.m.) September 11, 2001: Condoleezza Rice Tries to Assemble National Security Team, but Cannot Reach Key Officials
National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice tries to gather together the principals of the National Security Council (NSC), but is unable to get in touch with key officials. Rice realized the US was under terrorist attack during a staff meeting, when her assistant informed her of the second plane striking the World Trade Center. She had then headed to the White House Situation Room’s operations center. Here she intends to assemble the principals of the NSC for a crisis meeting. Along with the national security adviser, the principal members of the NSC are the president George W. Bush, the vice president Dick Cheney, the secretary of state Colin Powell, the secretary of the treasury Paul O'Neill, and the secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld; additionally, the CIA director George Tenet and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Henry Shelton are statutory advisers to the NSC.

However, Rice remembers that Colin Powell is currently away in Peru. Paul O’Neill is away in Japan. And Chairman of the Henry Shelton is on his way to Europe for a NATO meeting there.

Rice tries calling Donald Rumsfeld, who is in his office at the Pentagon, but cannot reach him. She is also unable to get a call through to George Tenet. (Tenet will later claim that, around this time, he is having trouble using his secure phone while being driven out to CIA headquarters . ) Also around this time, in the Secure Video Conferencing Center just off the main floor of the Situation Room, Richard Clarke is trying to convene a video teleconference with other top officials.