The CIA has stopped sharing intelligence information on Iran with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Reuters reported, citing sources.
“Amid disagreements over authority and intelligence sharing, the CIA has stopped contributing to some intelligence assessments, including those related to the war on Iran“, the agency wrote. She stressed that the conflict between the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which has lasted for more than a year, "has led to a breakdown in the cooperation on national security analysis that American presidents have long relied on."
Sources told Reuters that the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence "now operate largely separately." The conflict between the two agencies began in February last year. However, Olivia Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, was quoted by Reuters as saying that the US administration "continues to receive the best intelligence and analysis." According to her, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence "communicates and cooperates with CIA colleagues across the spectrum" of questions.
On May 22, Axios reported that outgoing US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was involved in a backroom conflict with the CIA that came to light during a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Reform Committee. Meanwhile, the Washington Post noted that there has been “significant friction” between the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence during Donald Trump's current presidency. At a committee hearing on May 13, CIA official James Erdman testified that the CIA obstructed oversight of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, withheld documents and information from it, and monitored the communications and computer activity of members of the Director's Initiative Group (DIG), a task force created by Gabbard.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump announced the appointment of Housing Finance Agency head Bill Pultey as acting Director of National Intelligence.
On May 22, he confirmed that Gabbard was stepping down as Director of National Intelligence, citing her resignation as necessary "so that I can fully support my husband during his initial treatment." Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Gabbard was forced to resign from the White House.
The Director of National Intelligence is officially considered the coordinator of all 18 US intelligence agencies.