How did the creation of the director of national intelligence change coordination among U.S. intelligence agencies?
The creation of the director of national intelligence (DNI) was a direct response to systemic failures in communication and coordination among U.S. intelligence agencies, most notably highlighted by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the inaccurate intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction prior to the 2003 Iraq War.12
Before the DNI position was established by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, oversight of the intelligence community was primarily the responsibility of the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The DNI was created to serve as an independent head of the 18-agency intelligence community, tasked with:3
- Establishing objectives and priorities for the entire community.3
- Managing the National Intelligence Program and its annual budget.13
- Instituting systems to ensure that key agencies, such as the FBI and the CIA, work together effectively.1
While intended to streamline operations, the office has faced ongoing criticism for contributing to the very issues it was designed to solve, including excessive bureaucracy and political polarization.1