"Some Jewish-American groups will say this represents a departure, but it doesn't," said a senior foreign policy aide.

Until recently, Mr. Pinkerton's tenure as a $77,500-a-year domestic policy aide had been a quiet one.

"He can focus the debate in a way that no one else can," said Bruce Reed, a domestic policy aide.

Rice was a foreign policy aide to Michael Dukakis during the 1988 presidential election.

Mr. Bush's foreign policy aides want to cut tariffs on Pakistan's main product, textiles.

"He's not making changes for change's sake," said Bruce Reed, a domestic policy aide.

By midsummer, the Pentagon's senior policy aides and top officers will convene a meeting to overhaul military strategy for the next four years.

All Presidents, a senior foreign policy aide said, deal with constraints and have to take into account public opinion and international realities.

He plans to be accompanied to the hearings by his wife and several of their eight children as well as a contingent of policy aides.

"He could barely focus on the summit," said a foreign policy aide.