Intelligence is information that governments gather and analyze in secret to understand threats and support decisions. It covers spying abroad, protecting secrets, and watching for foreign activity at home. Intelligence agencies serve the president and the military, while Congress and the courts oversee them. The hard question is how to keep the country safe while protecting rights and open government.
An independent team explaining how government works
On February 26, 2026, Oman's foreign minister, who was mediating nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, said the latest round had made significant progress…
That court, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, reviews every aspect of Section 702 surveillance—the government submits its surveillance rules for approval once a year. They examine…
The Trump administration wants Congress to renew Section 702—a surveillance law that lets intelligence agencies collect Americans' communications without a warrant—before April 20, 2026. House Speaker…
The government's acknowledgment of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena has drawn in institutions from the Pentagon to Congress. One critical oversight body remains absent from the public record:…
Intelligence Agencies covers the organizations themselves, Intelligence Collection and Analysis covers how information is gathered and turned into judgments, and Covert Action covers secret operations meant to influence events abroad.
Classified Information covers how sensitive material is marked and handled, Security Clearances covers who may see it, and Counterintelligence covers efforts to stop foreign spying.
Intelligence Oversight covers how Congress and others check the agencies, and Surveillance and Domestic Intelligence (FISA) covers surveillance within the country.
While congressional committees and courts provide external checks, the President's Intelligence Advisory Board serves as the president's oversight mechanism, designed to provide candid, expert…
The National Security Council is often in the headlines when international crises break. The President's Intelligence Advisory Board operates in secrecy. Both wield significant…
The President of the United States faces life-or-death decisions every day. From responding to overseas crises to preventing terrorist attacks, informed choices depend on…
In recent decades, most presidents have relied on a small group called the President's Intelligence Advisory Board. The Board gives 16 distinguished private citizens…
From checking the morning weather on your phone to GPS guiding your commute, daily life is powered by invisible satellites orbiting hundreds of miles…
In the days that followed September 11, 2001, the United States faced a profound sense of vulnerability and a critical question: how could a…
Working in the White House requires access to some of America's most sensitive secrets. This access is granted only after passing one of the…
Far from being a rare breakdown of protocol, the leak is a constant and dynamic feature of the American political system, as an instrument…
The President's Daily Brief is prepared each morning before dawn and delivered to the president and a small group of senior officials. The President's…
In government secrecy, few terms are as evocative as the "burn bag." Popular culture has cemented its image in the public consciousness: a simple…
