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About the CIA

The Central Intelligence Agency was created in 1947 with the signing of the National Security Act by President Truman. The National Security Act charged the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI)  with coordinating the nation’s intelligence activities and correlating, evaluating and disseminating intelligence which affects national security.

Porter J. Goss became Director of Central Intelligence on 24 September 2004. The DCI serves as the head of the United States Intelligence Community, principal advisor to the President for intelligence matters related to national security, and head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The CIA is an independent agency, responsible to the President through the DCI, and accountable to the American people through the intelligence oversight committees of the U.S. Congress.

CIA’s mission is to support the President, the National Security Council, and all officials who make and execute the U.S. national security policy by:

  • Providing accurate, comprehensive, and timely foreign intelligence on national security topics.

  • Conducting counterintelligence activities, special activities, and other functions related to foreign intelligence and national security, as directed by the President.

To accomplish its mission, the CIA engages in research, development, and deployment of high-leverage technology for intelligence purposes. As a separate agency, CIA serves as an independent source of analysis on topics of concern and also works closely with the other organizations in the Intelligence Community to ensure that the intelligence consumer-whether Washington policymaker or battlefield commander-receives the best intelligence possible.

As changing global realities have reordered the national security agenda, CIA has met these new challenges by:

  • Creating special, multidisciplinary centers to address such high-priority issues such as nonproliferation, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, international organized crime and narcotics trafficking, environment, and arms control intelligence.

  • Forging stronger partnerships between the several intelligence collection disciplines and all-source analysis.

  • Taking an active part in Intelligence Community analytical efforts and producing all-source analysis on the full range of topics that affect national security.

  • Contributing to the effectiveness of the overall Intelligence Community by managing services of common concern in imagery analysis and open-source collection and participating in partnerships with other intelligence agencies in the areas of research and development and technical collection.

By emphasizing adaptability in its approach to intelligence collection, the CIA can tailor its support to key intelligence consumers and help them meet their needs as they face the issues of the post-Cold War World.


The Deputy Director of Central Intelligence is John E. McLaughlin. The DDCI assists the Director in his duties as head of the CIA and the Intelligence Community and exercises the powers of the Director when the Director’s position is vacant or in the Director’s absence or disability.

The Executive Director of the Central Intelligence Agency is A.B. Krongard.  Assisted by an Executive Board that counts among its membership five mission centers with duties that enable the Agency to carry out its mission--Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Security, Human Resources and Global Support--the EXDIR manages the CIA on a day-to day basis.  

The Directorate of Intelligence, the analytical branch of the CIA, is responsible for the production and dissemination of all-source intelligence analysis on key foreign issues.  The current director is
Jami Miscik.

The Directorate of Science and Technology creates and applies innovative technology in support of the intelligence collection mission. The current director is Donald M. Kerr.

The Directorate of Operations is responsible for the clandestine collection of foreign intelligence. The current director is Stephen R. Kappes.

The Center for the Study of Intelligence maintains the Agency's historical materials and promotes the study of intelligence as a legitimate and serious discipline. The current director is Paul Johnson.

The Office of General Counsel advises the Director of Central Intelligence on all legal matters relating to his roles as head of the CIA and the Intelligence Community and is the principal source of legal counsel for the CIA and the DCI’s Community Management Staff.  The current General Counsel is Scott W. Muller.

 The Office of Public Affairs advises the Director of Central Intelligence on all media, public policy, and employee communications issues relating to his role as head of the CIA and the Intelligence Community and is the CIA’s principal communications focal point for the media, the general public and Agency employees. The current director is Mark Mansfield.

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