Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Julian Borger in Washington

Trend of declassifying US intelligence poses serious risks, ex-CIA officials say

The US national security council spokesperson, John Kirby, speaks beside monitors depicting images allegedly showing North Korean arms being transported by Russian railcars, on 20 January 2023.
The national security spokesperson, John Kirby, speaks beside images allegedly showing North Korean arms being transported to Russia, on 20 January 2023. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA

An increasingly common US tactic of declassifying intelligence with the aim of disrupting the plans of adversary powers can bring short-term gains, but risks creating long-term problems for the US intelligence agencies, two former CIA officials have warned.

In a new article in the journal Foreign Affairs, David Gioe, a former CIA analyst and operations officer, and Michael Morell, who was CIA acting director and deputy director, argue that the most serious risk is the politicisation of intelligence, if it is routinely shaped before publication to suit the purposes of the administration of the day.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.