The CIA recently took the unusual step of pulling nearly 20 internal reports from its database, sparking a fresh debate over neutrality within the intelligence community. These documents, which focused on sensitive social topics, were reportedly retracted due to concerns regarding political slant.
This move highlights the ongoing tension as the agency attempts to balance modern social awareness with its mandate for objective analysis.
Internal Purge of Sensitive Intelligence
In another instance of the CIA rejecting findings that conflict with Donald Trump's biased aims, the agency announced late last week that it would be pulling or 'substantially' rewriting 19 reports. Only three of the papers are identified by name in the agency's press statement—specifically those examining the risks of white supremacy, hostility toward LGBTQ+ groups, and global barriers to contraception—and these now point to censored copies.
The announcement provides no proof to back its claims that the reports were 'biased', instead crediting the President's Intelligence Advisory Board—a body overseen by Trump ally Devin Nunes and including far-right podcast host Katie Miller, the wife of Trump's director of policy.
Allegations of Political Motives
As Ja'han Jones of MSNews points out, this suggests a group of selected MAGA loyalists are trying to invalidate findings on white nationalism as the president pursues a prejudiced agenda; they are discrediting work on LGBTQ+ bias while he introduces policies targeting that community; and they are weakening research on reproductive rights after the government nonsensically threw away nearly $10 million (£7.42 million) in contraceptives intended for women in poorer countries.
Jones points out that because the study on contraception access actually dates back to Trump's first administration, this is simply the most recent case of his allies promoting claims of political slant within his own government.
Mandate for Impartiality and Standards
In an official statement released on Friday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe announced he had ordered the agency to withdraw or significantly rewrite 19 intelligence reports. The move comes after political appointees within the Trump administration claimed the documents either failed to meet professional 'tradecraft standards' or were marred by political prejudice.
Today @DCIARatcliffe ordered the retraction or substantial revision of 19 products that failed to meet CIA analytic tradecraft standards.
— CIA (@CIA) February 20, 2026
CIA is committed to delivering objective intelligence free from bias, partisanship, and any form of undue influence.https://t.co/7E4qvf5HF4 pic.twitter.com/Gww3dDpUDZ
Ratcliffe, who was appointed by Trump, remarked that the documents 'fall short of the high standards of impartiality that the CIA must uphold and do not reflect the expertise for which our analysts are renowned,' further noting that 'there is absolutely no room for bias in our work.'
Targeting Past Administrations
The agency declined to name the full list of 19 reports, instead revealing only three issued under previous Democratic administrations.
The Biden administration oversaw the release of two reports: 'Women Advancing White Racially and Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremist Radicalization and Recruitment' and 'Worldwide: Pandemic-Related Contraceptive Shortfalls Threaten Economic Development.' Meanwhile, the third document, 'Middle East-North Africa: LGBT Activists Under Pressure,' dates back to Barack Obama's presidency.
According to a press release, the agency noted that these changes are intended to align with 'the President's expectations that CIA's workforce remains independent from a particular audience, agenda, or policy viewpoint.'
Role of the Intelligence Advisory Board
The agency stated that the 19 documents were flagged by the President's Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) following an autonomous assessment of a decade's worth of intelligence.
Among the PIAB members chosen by Trump are political supporters such as former Republican Congressmen Devin Nunes and Brad Wenstrup, former RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, and Katie Miller, a former DOGE consultant and the spouse of senior presidential aide Stephen Miller.
