Intelligence Chief Tries to Restore Order After Upheaval at Office
A shift toward core duties
Clayton’s changes seek to refocus the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on coordinating intelligence analysis across spy agencies. Congress created the office after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Under Gabbard, the office put attention on declassifying older intelligence files and examining vulnerabilities in voting machines. Current and former officials say Clayton is steering it back toward its historical functions.
Projects halted at headquarters
When Clayton took over from interim director Bill Pulte, work was underway to turn the office of the official overseeing the president’s daily intelligence briefing into a private dining room. Clayton stopped the renovation and ordered the office restored.
He also halted plans for a firing range at Liberty Crossing, the agency’s Virginia headquarters. It is unclear who approved the proposal; people briefed on Gabbard’s work said she had not approved it and viewed it skeptically.
Staff and initiatives reshaped
Some congressional briefings that had stopped during Gabbard’s tenure have resumed. Together, the personnel and policy changes point to a broader effort to restore the office’s earlier focus.
Key points
- Clayton is refocusing the intelligence office on coordinating analysis across spy agencies.
- He stopped plans for a private dining room and a firing range at headquarters.
- Some congressional briefings have returned, while the declassification group has effectively disbanded.
- Gabbard left the post in June after a period of upheaval at the office.