View source for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

{{Short description|Head of the US federal agency}}
{{Distinguish|Director of Central Intelligence}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Director
| body = the Central Intelligence Agency
| insignia = Seal of the Central Intelligence Agency.svg
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = Seal of the Central Intelligence Agency
| flag = Flag of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.svg
| flagsize = 
| flagborder = 
| flagcaption = Flag of the Central Intelligence Agency
| image = Official Portrait of CIA Director John Ratcliffe.webp
| alt = 
| incumbent = [[John Ratcliffe]]
| incumbentsince = January 23, 2025
| acting = no
| department = [[Central Intelligence Agency]]
| style = 
| type = 
| status = 
| abbreviation = D/CIA
| member_of = 
| reports_to = [[Director of National Intelligence]] (DNI)
| residence = 
| seat = [[George Bush Center for Intelligence]], [[Langley, Virginia|Langley]], [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax County]], [[Virginia]]
| nominator = 
| appointer = [[President of the United States|President]]
| appointer_qualified = with [[United States Senate|Senate]] [[advice and consent]]
| termlength = No fixed term
| termlength_qualified = 
| constituting_instrument = {{UnitedStatesCode|50|3036}}
| precursor = [[Director of Central Intelligence]] (DCI)
| formation = December 17, 2004
| first = [[Porter J. Goss]]
| last = 
| abolished = 
| succession = 
| unofficial_names = 
| deputy = [[Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency|Deputy director]]
| salary = $225,700 [[Executive Schedule|Executive Schedule, Level II]]<ref>{{UnitedStatesCode|5|5313}}</ref>
| website = {{url|www.cia.gov}}
}}

The '''director of the Central Intelligence Agency''' ('''D/CIA''') is a statutory office ({{UnitedStatesCode|50|3036}}) that functions as the head of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]], which in turn is a part of the [[United States Intelligence Community]].

The director reports to the [[Director of National Intelligence|director of national intelligence]] (DNI) and is assisted by the [[Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency|deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency]] (DD/CIA). The director is a civilian or a [[general officer|general]] or [[flag officer]] of the [[United States Armed Forces]]<ref>{{UnitedStatesCode|10|528}} Officers serving in certain intelligence positions: military status; exclusion from distribution and strength limitations; pay and allowances</ref> nominated by the [[president of the United States]], with the recommendation from the DNI,<ref>{{UnitedStatesCode|50|403-6}} Appointment of officials responsible for intelligence-related activities</ref> and must be confirmed by a majority vote of the [[United States Senate]].<ref>{{UnitedStatesCode|50|3036}} Director of the Central Intelligence Agency</ref>

==History==
{{further|Director of National Intelligence}}
Before December 17, 2004 the [[Director of Central Intelligence|director of central intelligence]] (DCI) headed both the [[United States Intelligence Community|Intelligence Community]] and the Central Intelligence Agency. In addition, DCI served as an advisor to the [[president of the United States]] on intelligence matters and was the statutory intelligence advisor to the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]].

The post of DCI was established in 1946 by [[President of the United States|President]] [[Harry S. Truman]];<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2008-featured-story-archive/national-security-act-of-1947.html|title=A Look Back … The National Security Act of 1947 — Central Intelligence Agency|website=www.cia.gov|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2017|archive-date=May 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508181632/https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2008-featured-story-archive/national-security-act-of-1947.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> it thus predates the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency (created by the [[National Security Act of 1947]]). After the end of [[World War II]], the [[Office of Strategic Services]] was dismantled. Its functions were split between the departments of state and war (now defense).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/united-states-and-canada/us-history/office-strategic-services|title=Office of Strategic Services facts, information, pictures {{!}} Encyclopedia.com articles about Office of Strategic Services|website=www.encyclopedia.com|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref> Truman soon recognized the inefficiency of this arrangement and created the [[Central Intelligence Group]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-INTELLIGENCE/html/int009.html|title=The Organizational Arrangements for the Intelligence Community|website=www.gpo.gov|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref> which could be considered a smaller precursor to the National Security Council.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-signs-the-national-security-act|title=Truman signs the National Security Act - Jul 26, 1947 - HISTORY.com|newspaper=HISTORY.com|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref>  The following year the [[National Security Act of 1947]] created the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Council, while formally defining the duties of the director of Central Intelligence.  The duties of the DCI had been further defined over the years by tradition, congressional acts, and [[Executive order (United States)|Executive Order]]s.

Beginning in February 2017, the D/CIA was elevated to [[Cabinet of the United States]] level status, as designated by the [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Trump administration]]. This ended with the beginning of the [[Presidency of Joe Biden|Biden administration]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Cabinet |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/the-cabinet/ |access-date=February 3, 2021 |website=[[White House]]}}</ref> In July 2023, the D/CIA was once again elevated to [[Cabinet of the United States]] level status by the Biden administration.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Biden Elevates CIA Director To Become a Member of the Cabinet |work=The New York Times |date=July 21, 2023 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/21/us/politics/cia-director-burns-cabinet.html |access-date=July 21, 2023 |last1=Shear |first1=Michael D. }}</ref>

==Order of succession==
The order of succession determines which official shall act and perform the functions and duties of the director in the event the director dies, resigns, or otherwise becomes unable to perform their duties. The official will serve as acting director.

If the official is already serving in an acting capacity, or otherwise not eligible under the [[Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998]], the order skips to the next person in line. However, the [[president of the United States]] retains discretion to depart from the list in designating an acting director.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/memorandum-providing-order-succession-within-central-intelligence-agency/|title=Memorandum on Providing an Order of Succession Within the Central Intelligence Agency – The White House|website=trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov}}</ref>

{|class=wikitable 
|-
!<abbr title="Number in line">No.</abbr>
!Title
|-
|{{Center|1}}
|[[Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency|Deputy director]]
|-
|{{Center|2}}
|Chief operating officer
|-
|{{Center|3}}
|[[Deputy Director of the CIA for Operations|Deputy director of CIA for operations]]
|-
|{{Center|4}}
|Deputy director of CIA for analysis
|-
|{{Center|5}}
|Deputy director of CIA for science and technology
|-
|{{Center|6}}
|Deputy director of CIA for digital innovation
|-
|{{Center|7}}
|Deputy director of CIA for support
|-
|{{Center|8}}
|[[General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency|General counsel]]
|-
|{{Center|9}}
|Deputy chief operating officer
|-
|{{Center|10}}
|Senior CIA representative for the United Kingdom
|-
|{{Center|11}}
|Senior CIA representative for the East Coast
|-
|{{Center|12}}
|Senior CIA representative for the West Coast
|-
|}

== List of directors ==
Position succeeded the [[director of Central Intelligence]].

{|class="toccolours"
|{{legend|#E6E6AA|Denotes acting capacity.}}
|}

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!No.
!class=unsortable |Image
!Name
!Start
!End
!Duration
! colspan="2" |President
|-
|1
|[[File:Porter J. Goss official CIA portrait (cropped).jpg|70px]]
|{{sortname|Porter|Goss}}<ref name="Porter Johnston Goss">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-and-deputy-directors-of-cia/porter-johnston-goss.html |title=Porter Johnston Goss |work=Central Intelligence Agency – Library |access-date=February 22, 2017 |archive-date=September 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923024240/https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-and-deputy-directors-of-cia/porter-johnston-goss.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|{{dts|December 17, 2004}}
|{{dts|May 5, 2006}}
|1 year, 24 days
| rowspan="2" style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|George W.|Bush}}<br>(2001–2009)
|-
|2
|[[File:Michael Hayden, CIA official portrait (cropped).jpg|70px]]
|{{sortname|Michael|Hayden|dab=general}}<ref name="Michael Vincent Hayden">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-and-deputy-directors-of-cia/michael-vincent-hayden.html|title=Michael Vincent Hayden |work=Central Intelligence Agency – Library |access-date=February 22, 2017 |archive-date=August 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804230031/https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-and-deputy-directors-of-cia/michael-vincent-hayden.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|{{dts|May 30, 2006}}
|{{dts|February 12, 2009}}
|2 years, 260 days
|-
|3
|[[File:Leon Panetta official portrait (cropped).jpg|70px]]
|{{sortname|Leon|Panetta}}<ref name="Leon Edward Panetta">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-and-deputy-directors-of-cia/leon-edward-panetta.html |title=Leon Edward Panetta|work=Central Intelligence Agency – Library |access-date=February 22, 2017 |archive-date=August 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804230038/https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-and-deputy-directors-of-cia/leon-edward-panetta.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|{{dts|February 13, 2009}}
|{{dts|June 30, 2011}}
|2 years, 138 days
| rowspan="5" style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=5 |{{sortname|Barack|Obama}}<br>(2009–2017)
|-
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |–
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |[[File:CIA Michael Morell (cropped).jpg|70px]]
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{sortname|Michael|Morell}}<br>{{small|Acting}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|July 1, 2011}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|September 6, 2011}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |68 days
|-
|4
|[[File:DCIA David Petraeus (cropped).jpg|70px]]
|{{sortname|David|Petraeus}}<ref name="David Howell Petraeus">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-and-deputy-directors-of-cia/david-howell-petraeus.html |title=David Howell Petraeus |work=Central Intelligence Agency – Library|access-date=February 22, 2017 |archive-date=August 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804230042/https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-and-deputy-directors-of-cia/david-howell-petraeus.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|{{dts|September 6, 2011}}
|{{dts|November 9, 2012}}
|1 year, 66 days
|-
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |–
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |[[File:CIA Michael Morell (cropped).jpg|70px]]
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{sortname|Michael|Morell}}<br>{{small|Acting}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|November 9, 2012}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|March 8, 2013}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |130 days
|-
|5
|[[File:John Brennan CIA official portrait (cropped).jpg|70px]]
|{{sortname|John|Brennan|dab=CIA officer}}<ref name="John O. Brennan">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/leadership/john-o-brennan.html|title=John O. Brennan |work=Central Intelligence Agency – Leadership |access-date=February 25, 2017 |archive-date=July 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722222938/https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/leadership/john-o-brennan.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|{{dts|March 8, 2013}}
|{{dts|January 20, 2017}}
|3 years, 320 days
|-
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |–
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |[[File:Meroe Park.jpg|70px]]
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{sortname|Meroe|Park}}<br>{{small|Acting}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|January 20, 2017}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|January 23, 2017}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |3 days
| rowspan="4" style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=4 |{{sortname|Donald|Trump}}<br>(2017–2021)
|-
|6
|[[File:Mike Pompeo CIA headshot.jpg|70px]]
|{{sortname|Mike|Pompeo}}<ref name="Mike Pompeo">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/leadership/mike-pompeo.html |title=Mike Pompeo |work=Central Intelligence Agency – Leadership |access-date=February 25, 2017 |archive-date=April 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409155419/https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/leadership/mike-pompeo.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|{{dts|January 23, 2017}}
|{{dts|April 26, 2018}}
|1 year, 94 days
|-
|rowspan=2 |7
|rowspan=2 |[[File:Gina Haspel official CIA portrait (cropped).jpg|70px]]
|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Gina|Haspel}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|April 26, 2018}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|May 21, 2018}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |26 days
|-
|{{dts|May 21, 2018}}
|{{dts|January 20, 2021}}
|2 years, 245 days
|-
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |–
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |[[File:David Cohen official CIA portrait.jpg|70px]]
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{sortname|David|Cohen|David S. Cohen (attorney)}}<br>{{small|Acting}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|January 20, 2021}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|March 19, 2021}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |59 days
| rowspan="2" style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=2 |{{sortname|Joe|Biden}}<br>(2021–2025)
|-
|8
|[[File:CIA Director Burns.jpg|70px]]
|{{sortname|Bill|Burns|William J. Burns (diplomat)}}
|{{dts|March 19, 2021}}
|{{dts|January 20, 2025}}
|3 years, 308 days
|-
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |–
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |
{{sortname|Maura|Burns}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 20, 2025|title=Maura Burns Named Acting CIA Director Until Ratcliffe Confirmation |url= https://www.inkl.com/news/maura-burns-named-acting-cia-director-until-ratcliffe-confirmation |access-date=May 20, 2025|website=[[Inkl]] }}</ref><br>{{small|Acting}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|January 20, 2025}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|January 20, 2025}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{age in years and days|January 20, 2025|January 20, 2025}}
| rowspan="3" style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
|rowspan=3 |{{sortname|Donald|Trump}}<br>(2025–present)
|-
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |–
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{sortname|Tom|Sylvester}}<br>{{small|Acting}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|January 20, 2025}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{dts|January 23, 2025}}
|style="background:#e6e6aa;" |{{age in years and days|January 20, 2025|January 23, 2025}}
|-
|9
|[[File:Official Portrait of CIA Director John Ratcliffe.webp|70px]]
|{{sortname|John|Ratcliffe}}
|{{dts|January 23, 2025}}
|Incumbent
|{{age in years and days|January 23, 2025}}
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|United States}}
* [[Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation]]
* [[Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation]]
* [[Director of the United States Marshals Service]]
* [[Director of the United States Secret Service]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Central Intelligence Agency}}
{{DCIA}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Director Of The Central Intelligence Agency}}
[[Category:Directors of the Central Intelligence Agency|*]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in the United States]]