What is the primary function of the Central Intelligence Agency?

The primary function of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is to produce national security intelligence analysis. This entails gathering, analyzing, and disseminating information related to national security threats and foreign affairs to support policymakers, military leaders, and government officials in making informed decisions. The CIA’s work involves a range of intelligence operations, including reconnaissance and covert activities, all underpinned by the goal of providing comprehensive insights into global events that may affect national interests.

While conducting counterintelligence missions plays a critical role in protecting intelligence operations from enemy actions, and executing foreign affairs missions and creating economic studies can fall under broader governmental functions, these tasks do not capture the core responsibility of the CIA. The emphasis on producing intelligence analysis reflects the agency’s central mission of informing the U.S. government on matters of national security and assessing potential threats.