Dr. John Gentry, a former CIA intelligence analyst and current Georgetown University professor, has raised concerns about the potential political activities of U.S. intelligence agencies in the upcoming 2024 election. Gentry, who has a 12-year tenure with the CIA and is the author of “Neutering the CIA: Why US Intelligence Versus Trump Has Long-Term Consequences,” expressed his apprehensions in a recent interview.
Gentry’s concerns stem from the increasing influence of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the overall politicization within the intelligence community. He anticipates that these agencies might attempt to interfere in the 2024 election, similar to their efforts in 2020. He cited the instance of 51 former intelligence officials signing a letter discrediting the New York Post’s story on Hunter Biden’s laptop as a “classic earmark of a Russian information operation,” which he views as a clear political move to aid the Biden campaign.
The former analyst pointed out that the CIA had approved the publication of this letter, a decision that was later confirmed through documents obtained in 2023. Gentry believes that such actions were explicitly intended to support the Biden campaign and sees them as indicative of a broader trend of political activism within the intelligence community.
Gentry also referred to recent articles by former CIA official Marc Polymeropoulos and former FBI employee Asha Rangappa, which he interprets as early signs of intelligence community members becoming politically active against the Republican presidential candidate in 2024. He expressed concern over the credibility of these former officials, especially those involved in the “Laptop 51” letter.
A significant shift, according to Gentry, occurred during the Obama administration with the introduction of DEI policies in major intelligence agencies like the CIA. He believes these policies diverted attention from operational focus to a more politically driven agenda. Gentry attributes this change to former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who he says were instrumental in promoting Obama’s vision of transforming the federal workforce.
Gentry’s insights suggest a growing politicization within the intelligence community, which he fears could undermine its credibility and effectiveness. He hopes his book will shed light on this political problem and its potential impact on future elections.
CIA Director William Burns, in a speech at the Aspen Security Forum, addressed the issue of politicization, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to providing unbiased intelligence, even when it may be inconvenient for policymakers. Burns reiterated the importance of the CIA’s role in delivering straightforward intelligence, a principle he asserts is taken seriously across the U.S. intelligence community.