Shadow warfare in Washington: the CIA and US intelligence services clash behind the scenes

Deep tensions are currently shaking the American intelligence community. According to several sources cited by Reuters, the Central Intelligence Agency has ceased contributing to certain strategic assessments produced by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, revealing a growing power struggle between the main agencies responsible for US national security.

The dispute pits the CIA against the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the agency responsible for coordinating all U.S. intelligence services. According to a U.S. official and several people close to the matter, these rivalries have been ongoing for over a year and are disrupting cooperation on analyses intended to inform the U.S. president's decisions.

The files in question reportedly include certain assessments related to the war involving Iran. The disagreements concern the sharing of sensitive information, as well as the allocation of responsibilities between the various agencies.

At the heart of the controversy is a task force created in April 2025 by the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. According to sources close to the CIA, this body allegedly bypassed standard procedures for sharing and declassifying intelligence. Officials at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) reject these accusations and claim, on the contrary, that the CIA systematically obstructed the group's access to certain information.

The CIA is headed by John Ratcliffe, while Tulsi Gabbard oversees the entire intelligence community from her position as national director. Tensions between their teams are believed to have gradually exacerbated coordination difficulties within the American security apparatus.

The case took on a new dimension with the opening of an investigation by the Inspector General. This investigation focuses in particular on accusations that the CIA prevented a group under the ODNI from accessing certain intelligence related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These internal rivalries are raising concerns in Washington, where joint intelligence analysis has traditionally been a crucial tool for managing international crises. Many observers fear that these bureaucratic clashes could hinder the United States' ability to respond effectively to current geopolitical challenges.