politburo

name

1. Any of various politburos, especially that of the Soviet Union or that of the People's Republic of China.
2. The senior leadership of the Soviet Union, or that of the People's Republic of China.

noun

Etymology: Borrowed from Russian Политбюро́ (Politbjuró, “politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union”), a contraction of полити́ческое бюро́ (politíčeskoje bjuró, “political bureau”).

1. The governing council and chief policymaking body of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and other Marxist-Leninist political systems.
2. A senior governing or policymaking body in a political or other organization, generally consisting of members who are either appointed by the party in control of the organization, or who attain membership through their personal political affiliations; an inner circle.

   “They were the people who surrounded Biden who were the true believers: Ricchetti, Donilon, etc. The Politburo would argue that the decisions were always fine and sound and never problematic.”