The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has ceased contributions to certain intelligence assessments, including those related to the ongoing Iran conflict, due to disputes with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). These disagreements have disrupted collaboration on critical national security analyses, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Intelligence Community Tensions

The friction between the CIA and ODNI has been ongoing for over a year, affecting the ability of the Trump administration to navigate complex foreign challenges. At the core of the dispute is a task force established by Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, in April 2025. The CIA, under Director John Ratcliffe, argues that Gabbard’s Director’s Initiatives Group has bypassed traditional protocols, while ODNI officials claim the CIA has obstructed access to intelligence.

This breakdown in cooperation comes at a critical time, with the U.S. involved in the Iran conflict and facing challenges from China’s military expansion and Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The situation highlights the ongoing dysfunction within the intelligence community, despite reforms intended to improve coordination among the 18 U.S. intelligence agencies.

Impact on Intelligence Assessments

The CIA’s decision to reduce its input into assessments produced by Gabbard’s office is a significant consequence of the agencies’ mutual distrust. The CIA has traditionally been a key contributor to reports by the National Intelligence Council (NIC), which are crucial during wartime. However, the agency has now largely withdrawn from participating in assessments about Iran, where the U.S. military has been engaged since February.

The tension between the agencies began shortly after Gabbard took office in February 2025, with her efforts to exert tighter control over the Presidential Daily Brief, a role historically led by the CIA. The relationship further deteriorated with the creation of the Director’s Initiatives Group, which aimed to address alleged politicization within the intelligence community.

Controversial Actions and Repercussions

In May 2025, Gabbard removed two senior CIA officers from the NIC, citing a toxic work environment and politicization of intelligence. Additionally, in August, she revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former officials, revealing the identity of an undercover CIA officer in the process. These actions have been criticized as retaliatory, particularly in light of a 2017 assessment regarding Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election.

The disputes have gained public attention, with a CIA officer testifying to a Senate panel about blocked access to intelligence on COVID-19 origins, prompting an investigation by the intelligence community’s inspector general.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.