The CIA has retracted or revised 19 intelligence assessments deemed politically biased, following an internal review that raised concerns about the agency’s analysis related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) announced on Friday that it is retracting or substantively revising 19 intelligence assessments from the past decade that were found to exhibit political bias. This decision follows an internal review initiated by CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
The agency’s review identified assessments that did not meet the CIA’s standards for impartiality and analytic rigor. In a statement, Ratcliffe emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards in intelligence analysis, stating, “There is absolutely no room for bias in our work.” He added that when instances of compromised analytic rigor are identified, the agency has a responsibility to correct the record.
Included in the CIA’s release were three redacted assessments from between 2015 and 2021. These reports focused on topics such as the radicalization of White women, the treatment of LGBT activists in the Middle East and Africa, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to birth control in developing countries.
The first of the three reports, titled “Women Advancing White Racially and Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremist Radicalization and Recruitment,” was published in October 2021, during the early months of the Biden administration. This assessment examined the involvement of women in extremist groups overseas, suggesting that they engage in violence due to a perceived threat to their idealized white European identity from multiculturalism and globalization.
The second report, “Middle East-North Africa: LGBT Activists Under Pressure,” was released toward the end of the Obama administration. It posited that the conservative public opinion and political competition from Islamist groups in the region were driving government actions against the LGBT community, which in turn hindered U.S. initiatives supporting LGBT rights.
The final report included in the CIA’s release was titled “Worldwide: Pandemic-Related Contraceptive Shortfalls Threaten Economic Development,” published in July 2020, near the conclusion of President Donald Trump’s first term. This assessment warned that the COVID-19 pandemic was limiting access to contraceptives in developing countries, potentially undermining efforts to address population pressures that affect economic development.
The CIA’s decision to retract or revise these assessments was prompted by findings from the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, which conducted an independent review of hundreds of reports from the last decade. The board concluded that the flagged assessments did not adhere to CIA and Intelligence Community (IC) analytic tradecraft standards and were influenced by political considerations.
Deputy Director Michael Ellis led the internal review that corroborated the board’s findings, stating that the assessments fell short of the high standards expected from the CIA’s elite analytic workforce.
In addition to the three reports released, a senior administration official, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, indicated that the majority of the other flagged assessments were related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Former officials expressed skepticism about the decision to declassify the three documents and questioned the claims of flaws in the assessments, suggesting they merely reflected the policy priorities of previous administrations.
The CIA’s actions underscore its commitment to transparency and accountability in intelligence analysis, as well as its dedication to maintaining objectivity in its assessments. As the agency moves forward, it aims to ensure that its intelligence products meet the high standards expected by the American public.
According to The New York Times, the implications of these revisions may extend beyond the assessments themselves, potentially influencing future intelligence analysis and reporting practices within the agency.