Is the US intelligence community fractured by power struggles?

Internal conflict within the US intelligence community has been ongoing for over a year, between the Central Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

According to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters , the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has stopped contributing information to some intelligence reports, including those related to the conflict in Iran.

This stalemate arose from increasingly deep disagreements over how information should be shared and the scope of operations between the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

A U.S. official and three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said the conflict between the CIA and the ODNI had lasted more than a year, disrupting coordination in the development of national security analyses. These analyses are used by U.S. presidents to address complex foreign policy challenges.

The CIA withdrew and exerted pressure.

The CIA has drastically reduced or even ceased contributing content to several intelligence reports produced by the ODNI, including some related to the Iran conflict. This move by the CIA is seen as one of the most serious manifestations of the growing distrust between the two sides.

The CIA has long been a key contributor to the reports of the National Intelligence Council (NIC), America's top intelligence analysis agency. These reports have a significant influence on U.S. security policy, particularly during times of conflict.

Two sources said that intelligence assessments related to Iran are also among the areas where the CIA no longer regularly collaborates with the ODNI. According to the sources, the CIA and ODNI now operate as two independent analytical bodies.

The CIA still has other channels for sending intelligence to the President and policymakers.

At one point last year, due to tensions between the two sides, the CIA temporarily suspended posting National Intelligence Council reports on its internal information distribution system, resulting in a short-term restriction on access to intelligence analysis products.

Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation as Director of National Intelligence last week. Photo: Reuters .

Four sources said tensions between the CIA and ODNI began shortly after Tulsi Gabbard took office as Director of National Intelligence in February 2025.

One of her first moves after taking office was to tighten control over the compilation of the President's Daily Intelligence Briefing, an area where the CIA had long held a dominant role.

Relations between the CIA and ODNI continued to deteriorate after Gabbard established a special task force in April 2025, aimed at eliminating politicization within the intelligence community.

According to two sources, members of the special task force repeatedly requested that the CIA share information and documents for investigations commissioned by the ODNI. The special task force believes the CIA has not cooperated in providing sufficient information.

The CIA, under the leadership of Director John Ratcliffe, believed that the special task force established by Gabbard acted recklessly, disregarding traditional procedures in sharing intelligence and declassifying documents.

In response, some ODNI officials continued to accuse the CIA of obstructing the special task force's access to intelligence. The conflict escalated through a series of incidents.

Old problems create new changes.

Last week, Gabbard announced she would resign as Director of National Intelligence on June 30th, citing her husband's illness.

On June 2nd, President Trump announced he would appoint Bill Pulte, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting Director of National Intelligence.

Shortly afterward, Olivia Coleman, a spokesperson for the ODNI, affirmed that the President and policymakers were still receiving "the best intelligence and analysis" from the relevant agencies.

Ms. Coleman affirmed that the ODNI and its affiliated agencies remain "in daily contact and coordination with partners at the CIA to deliver the full range of intelligence products and contribute to operational operations." She also stated that the special task force continues to operate within the ODNI's oversight authority.

Mr. Trump accepted Ms. Gabbard's resignation and quickly arranged for a replacement. Photo: Reuters .

The Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Intelligence Community, an independent oversight body under the ODNI, has launched an investigation into allegations of exchanges between the CIA and ODNI special task forces. Reuters reports that the scope and specific details of the investigation are not yet available.

This development shows that reforms in the way the US intelligence forces operate after the September 11, 2001 attacks have not yet resolved the shortcomings. These very shortcomings led to the creation of the position of Director of National Intelligence to coordinate the activities of 18 US intelligence agencies.

"The ODNI should be the lubricant that keeps the U.S. intelligence community running smoothly and removes bottlenecks. When the ODNI fails to do that, agencies tend to revert to operating independently within their own spheres, increasing the risk of intelligence failures," said Beth Sanner, former Deputy Director of National Intelligence.

Experts warn that divisions and power struggles among U.S. intelligence agencies could increase the risk of errors and undermine inter-agency coordination.

The breakdown in cooperation between intelligence agencies also occurred at a sensitive time for the Trump administration. Currently, the U.S. is grappling with numerous security challenges, including confronting the Iran conflict, competing with major powers, and addressing many pressing global issues.

Source: https://znews.vn/cong-dong-tinh-bao-my-ran-nut-vi-dau-da-quyen-luc-post1656494.html