The CIA has suspended the exchange of intelligence with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
The US Central Intelligence Agency has ceased contributing to the preparation of certain intelligence assessments produced by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. According to Reuters, this also applies to materials relating to the war against Iran.
According to the agency’s sources, disputes between the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have been ongoing for over a year and have affected cooperation between US intelligence agencies in the analysis of threats to national security.
At the centre of the dispute is the Director’s Initiatives Group, established in April 2025 by the then Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. CIA representatives believe that this body operated in circumvention of traditional procedures for intelligence sharing and the declassification of information. At the same time, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence claims that the CIA restricted the group’s access to necessary materials.
According to Reuters sources, the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence are currently operating largely independently of one another as analytical bodies.
The agency notes that the conflict arose shortly after Tulsi Gabbard took office in February 2025. One of her first decisions was to tighten control over the preparation of the Daily Brief for the President – a classified intelligence summary for the US President. Previously, the CIA had played a leading role in preparing this document.
In May 2025, Tulsi Gabbard removed two senior CIA officials who headed the National Intelligence Council from their posts. A representative of the intelligence community, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the decision was linked to complaints regarding the working atmosphere and the politicisation of intelligence.
Tensions between the agencies escalated further after Hubbard revoked security clearances for 37 current and former officials in August. She cited politicisation and intelligence leaks, but provided no evidence.
Olivia Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, stated that the US President and administration officials continue to receive the best intelligence and analysis. According to her, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and its subordinate agencies interact daily with CIA representatives regarding the full range of intelligence products and operations.
Last week, Tulsi Gabbard announced that she would step down as Director of National Intelligence on 30 June due to her husband’s illness. US President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as Acting Director of National Intelligence.
