A growing dispute between the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the office of the United States’ top intelligence official has disrupted collaboration on key national security assessments, including some related to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, according to an exclusive report by Reuters.
The report said tensions between the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) have intensified over the past year, leading to disagreements over intelligence-sharing procedures, access to classified information and agency responsibilities.
According to Reuters, the CIA has scaled back its contributions to certain intelligence assessments produced by the ODNI, raising concerns about coordination within the US intelligence community at a time when Washington is confronting multiple global security challenges.
Sources familiar with the matter have said that the disagreements centre on the Director’s Initiatives Group, a task force established in April 2025 by Tulsi Gabbard during her tenure as Director of National Intelligence.
CIA officials have accused the task force of bypassing established intelligence-sharing and declassification procedures, while ODNI officials have alleged that the CIA has repeatedly restricted the group’s access to intelligence needed for its work.
The tensions have reportedly affected the production of assessments by the National Intelligence Council, one of the US government’s most influential intelligence analysis bodies.
Sources cited by Reuters said the CIA has reduced its participation in some National Intelligence Council reports, including assessments connected to developments in Iran.
The report noted that the breakdown in cooperation comes at a sensitive moment for the administration of Donald Trump, with the United States facing challenges ranging from tensions in the Middle East to concerns over China’s military expansion and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Former US intelligence officials warned that the dispute could undermine the coordination reforms introduced after the September 11 attacks, which led to the creation of the Director of National Intelligence position to oversee the country’s 18 intelligence agencies.
Former Deputy Director of National Intelligence Beth Sanner was quoted saying the ODNI is intended to ensure smooth cooperation among intelligence agencies and prevent institutional barriers from affecting analysis.
She warned that when agencies retreat into separate operational structures, the risk of intelligence failures increases.
The report also comes as Gabbard prepares to leave office on 30 June. She recently announced her resignation, citing her husband’s health condition.
President Trump has since named Bill Pulte as acting Director of National Intelligence.
An ODNI spokesperson told Reuters that intelligence agencies continue to collaborate daily and that policymakers are still receiving comprehensive intelligence assessments.
The CIA also defended its performance, saying it remains focused on advancing the administration’s national security priorities.
Furthermore, an intelligence community inspector general investigation is examining allegations that the CIA blocked the Director’s Initiatives Group from accessing intelligence relating to the origins of COVID-19.
The probe reportedly followed testimony from a CIA officer who alleged before a Senate panel that the agency restricted access to information sought by the task force.
Reuters said it could not independently determine the full scope of the investigation.
The dispute highlights continuing challenges within the US intelligence community despite reforms aimed at improving coordination among agencies responsible for gathering and analyzing national security information.
SOURCE: Reuters
