Intelligence sharing regarding global threats like Iran has slowed or periodically ceased across the federal government and Congress during President Donald Trump's second term, according to eight current and former officials. The reports indicate that internal friction and personnel changes have disrupted the flow of information between major agencies, specifically the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Former officials and outside experts stated that these disruptions could prevent policymakers from receiving a comprehensive understanding of national security threats.
The reported slowdown coincided with significant staff cuts at the CIA and ODNI as the administration sought to remove officials perceived as disloyal. Tensions escalated during the tenure of former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned in June 2026. According to two officials, the CIA ceased co-authoring assessments with the National Intelligence Council (NIC), the ODNI’s primary analytical group. While the CIA continues to share data, the NIC has reportedly slowed its production of consolidated reports, with none focusing on the war in Iran.
Lawmakers and their staff also experienced temporary halts in intelligence briefings following the U.S. military intervention in Iran in June 2025 and the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026. Sources said Gabbard’s team accused lawmakers of leaking information to the press. Additionally, the FBI reportedly suspended intelligence sharing with the National Counterterrorism Center for several weeks in late 2025 after a dispute over an investigation into a shooting involving Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
For members of Congress and their staff, the concrete change was the temporary loss of certain intelligence reports during high-stakes periods, such as the weeks following the 2025 Iran intervention. While Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, who took office in August 2026, has resumed some briefings—including those on election threats—the reduction of joint CIA-NIC reports persists. This shift forces policymakers to rely on individual agency "lily pads," according to former official Morgan Muir, rather than coordinated community-wide findings. This decentralized approach can lead to conflicting information reaching the White House and Capitol Hill, potentially impacting the timing and nature of military or diplomatic responses.
The knock-on effects include a reported environment where some analysts avoid writing assessments that conflict with White House views for fear of political retaliation. This cultural shift within the agencies could result in long-term changes to how intelligence is collected and presented to the U.S. government. To address these issues, former officials at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution have begun a bipartisan effort to develop plans for rebuilding the intelligence community’s infrastructure. The administration is currently considering whether to resume strikes on Iran following the midterm elections held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Further developments will depend on how the administration and DNI Clayton manage agency cooperation in the coming months.