Presidential directive

Presidential directives are a form of executive order issued by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the National Security Council. Because of the nature of presidential directives as pertaining to the national security of the United States, many presidential directives are promulgated as classified. Various presidents since the administration of John F. Kennedy have issued such directives but under different names.

Kennedy called his presidential directives National Security Action Memoranda or NSAMs. Lyndon Johnson kept the name during his tenure in the White House.
Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford called their presidential directives National Security Decision Memoranda or NSDMs.
Jimmy Carter simply called his orders Presidential Directives or PDs.
Ronald Reagan used the title National Security Decision Directives or NSDDs.
George H. W. Bush called them National Security Directives or NSDs.
Bill Clinton called them Presidential Decision Directives or PDDs.
George W. Bush issues National Security Presidential Directives or NSPDs. After September 11, 2001, he issued Homeland Security Presidential Directives or HSPDs, with the consent of the Homeland Security Council. The first such directive created the Homeland Security Council while the second changed immigration policies to combat terrorism.