This chapter is about the spy agencies. It says they have become political and must be fixed. It wants the president to have more control over them. It asks for leaks to be punished hard. It wants former chiefs who talk to the press to lose their access. It also says these agencies should not watch false claims made inside the country.
The document says “should”Who acts: PresidentHow: executive orderp. 205 in the PDF
What the document says
“Executive Order 12333 should be amended to take account of the changing landscape of threats and improve the functional aspects of America’s intelligence enterprise.”
The chapter says that although the 2004 intelligence reform act has flaws, it is impossible to know what would emerge if Congress reopened it, so seeking a legislative solution might carry more risks than benefits. It asks instead that the President amend Executive Order 12333, clarifying the Director of National Intelligence's budget and personnel authority and the roles of the various cyber missions.
What the document actually says
“Executive Order 12333 should be amended to take account of the changing landscape of threats and improve the functional aspects of America’s intelligence enterprise.”
That sentence, in plain words
Change the order that governs spying. Update it for the threats we face now.
What this is about
One order from 1981 sets the rules for spying. The book says Congress should not rewrite the law. It says that is too risky. It says the president should change the order instead.
The document says “must”Who acts: President, DNIHow: internal managementp. 204 in the PDF
What the document says
“future IC leadership must address the widely promoted “woke” culture that has spread throughout the federal government”
The chapter names identity politics as part of what it is describing. It uses the term woke without defining it. The passage sits among recommendations on how a President should empower the Director of National Intelligence to lead the intelligence agencies.
What the document actually says
“future IC leadership must address the widely promoted “woke” culture that has spread throughout the federal government”
That sentence, in plain words
The people leading these agencies must deal with woke culture inside them.
What this is about
The book says a way of thinking has spread through government. It calls it woke. It does not say exactly what that means. It says intelligence leaders must deal with it.
The document says “should”Who acts: President, CIAHow: internal managementp. 208 in the PDF
What the document says
“This includes halting all current hiring to prevent the “burrowing in” of outgoing political personnel.”
The chapter asks that the President-elect choose a Deputy Director who needs no Senate confirmation and can begin implementing the President's agenda immediately, including by halting all current hiring so that outgoing political personnel cannot convert into permanent posts. It says additional appointees should be placed in the agency as needed.
What the document actually says
“This includes halting all current hiring to prevent the “burrowing in” of outgoing political personnel.”
That sentence, in plain words
That means stopping all hiring at once. It keeps the last team from digging in.
What this is about
When a president leaves, some of his staff seek permanent jobs. Those jobs are hard to remove people from. The book says hiring should stop at once.
The document says “should”Who acts: CIAHow: internal managementp. 209 in the PDF
What the document says
“If senior leadership finds any program or operation to be inconsistent with the President’s agenda, the Director should immediately halt that program or operation.”
The chapter asks that the Director and Deputy Director request briefings on all agency activities and presence overseas, on all controlled access programs and on existing covert action findings without exception, and meet all directorates and mission centers, before halting anything found inconsistent with the President's agenda.
What the document actually says
“If senior leadership finds any program or operation to be inconsistent with the President’s agenda, the Director should immediately halt that program or operation.”
That sentence, in plain words
Say a program does not match what the president wants. Then the Director should stop it at once.
What this is about
The agency runs many secret programs. New leaders would be briefed on all of them. If one does not match the president's aims, it would be stopped.
The document says “should”Who acts: CIAHow: internal managementp. 209 in the PDF
What the document says
“the Director should divert resources from any activities that promote unnecessary and distracting social engineering.”
The chapter states that certain employees and offices have focused on promoting what it calls divisive ideological or cultural agendas and fostering a culture of risk aversion. It asks that promotion criteria change and that officers willing to accept high risk be rewarded over those advancing by routine.
What the document actually says
“the Director should divert resources from any activities that promote unnecessary and distracting social engineering.”
That sentence, in plain words
Some work pushes social causes. The Director should move money away from it.
What this is about
The book says some staff work on social causes. It says that is a distraction. It wants the money moved to other work.
The document says “should”Who acts: CIAHow: internal managementp. 209 in the PDF
What the document says
“the Director should break the cabal of bureaucrats in D.C. by permanently moving various directorates”
The chapter names the Directorate of Support and the Directorate of Science and Technology as examples, and suggests opening campuses outside Washington where analysts and other experts could contribute virtually. It also asks for broader recruitment, faster onboarding and openness to hiring private-sector experts directly into senior posts.
What the document actually says
“the Director should break the cabal of bureaucrats in D.C. by permanently moving various directorates”
That sentence, in plain words
The Director should break up the crowd in Washington. He should move whole units away for good.
What this is about
Most of this agency sits near Washington. The book says that makes a closed circle. It wants some divisions moved far away for good.
The document says “should”Who acts: PresidentHow: internal managementp. 213 in the PDF
What the document says
“The President should immediately revoke the security clearances of any former Directors, Deputy Directors, or other senior intelligence officials who discuss their work in the press”
The full passage covers those who discuss their work in the press or on social media without prior clearance from the current Director. The chapter asks that agencies minimize their public presence and vigorously investigate leaks, and separately that former high-ranking officials who keep a clearance remain subject to the Hatch Act after leaving government.
What the document actually says
“The President should immediately revoke the security clearances of any former Directors, Deputy Directors, or other senior intelligence officials who discuss their work in the press”
That sentence, in plain words
Some former chiefs talk to the press about their work. The president should take away their clearance at once.
What this is about
Former spy chiefs often keep access to secrets. Some go on television to talk. The book says they should lose that access.
The document says “should”Who acts: DNI, CIAHow: internal managementp. 214 in the PDF
What the document says
“The ODNI and CIA should fire or refer for prosecution any employee who is suspected of leaking information, and penalties should include the removal of pension benefits”
The penalty applies to those found guilty. The chapter also asks that staff under investigation not be allowed to retire before internal investigations are complete, and that the Justice Department use all its tools to investigate leaks.
What the document actually says
“The ODNI and CIA should fire or refer for prosecution any employee who is suspected of leaking information, and penalties should include the removal of pension benefits”
That sentence, in plain words
Anyone thought to be leaking should be fired or charged. Those found guilty should lose their pension.
What this is about
A leak is when a worker gives secrets to the press. The book says anyone suspected should be fired. Those proved guilty would lose their pension too.
The document says “should”Who acts: President, CongressHow: not specifiedp. 216 in the PDF
What the document says
“The IC should be prohibited from monitoring so-called domestic disinformation.”
The chapter argues that such activity can slip into suppressing an opposition party's speech, is corrosive of First Amendment protections, and raises questions about impartiality when the agencies choose not to act. It names no instrument for the prohibition.
What the document actually says
“The IC should be prohibited from monitoring so-called domestic disinformation.”
That sentence, in plain words
These agencies should not be allowed to watch false claims made at home.
What this is about
Some agencies track false claims spread online. The book says they should not watch ones made inside the country. It says that could silence people.
The document says “should”Who acts: Congress, PresidentHow: legislationp. 215 in the PDF
What the document says
“Section 702 should be understood as an essential tool in the fight against terrorism, malicious cyber actors, and Chinese espionage.”
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows the targeting of non-US persons abroad when their communications pass through the United States. The chapter says it provides much of the intelligence in the President's Daily Brief and that an independent oversight board found it was not abused, while asking Congress to review that board's report to determine whether reforms are needed. It separately criticizes the handling of the Carter Page applications and asks for reforms against partisan abuse.
What the document actually says
“Section 702 should be understood as an essential tool in the fight against terrorism, malicious cyber actors, and Chinese espionage.”
That sentence, in plain words
This power should be kept. It helps fight terror, hackers and Chinese spying.
What this is about
One law lets spies watch people abroad. Some of those messages pass through America. The book says that power should be kept. It also says past abuses should be fixed.
The document says “should”Who acts: President, NSCHow: internal managementp. 211 in the PDF
What the document says
“the President should task the NSC’s Senior”
The full passage asks that immediately after inauguration the President task the National Security Council's Senior Director for Intelligence Programs with a 60-day review of current covert action findings and their effectiveness, evaluating new covert actions that may be needed, conducted independently of the agencies responsible. The chapter says the review should identify which agency is best equipped for each objective, and that careful thought should be given to how effectiveness is measured, to guard against covert action being used with little scrutiny in ways inconsistent with overt policy.
What the document actually says
“the President should task the NSC’s Senior”
That sentence, in plain words
The president should give this job to a senior White House official.
What this is about
Covert action is secret work approved by the president. The book says all of it should be reviewed. The review would take 60 days. It would be done by people outside the agencies involved.
The document says “should”Who acts: DNI, CIAHow: internal managementp. 211 in the PDF
What the document says
“Senior officers should be required to sign mobility agreements that allow ODNI and CIA leadership to move them within the IC every two years if necessary.”
The chapter says some long-serving generalist officers no longer perform at a high level, are management driven and limit junior officers' prospects. It asks that agencies work with the Office of Personnel Management on voluntary separation buyouts to reduce what it calls bloat and underperforming cadre.
What the document actually says
“Senior officers should be required to sign mobility agreements that allow ODNI and CIA leadership to move them within the IC every two years if necessary.”
That sentence, in plain words
Senior officers should sign a deal. It would let leaders move them to a new post every two years.
What this is about
Senior officers often stay in one post for years. The book says leaders should be able to move them. It would happen as often as every two years.
The document says “should consider”Who acts: PresidentHow: not specifiedp. 210 in the PDF
What the document says
“the President should consider whether DOD’s complete set of capabilities should be used to support potential covert actions.”
The chapter notes that certain Defense Department clandestine capabilities under Title 10 can generally be used outside a combat theatre only if they count as traditional military activities, which in practice means many capabilities in the space and cyber domains can be used only after armed conflict begins. It raises using them for covert action as something to consider rather than as a recommendation.
What the document actually says
“the President should consider whether DOD’s complete set of capabilities should be used to support potential covert actions.”
That sentence, in plain words
The military has secret tools of its own. The president should think about using them for secret work.
What this is about
The military has secret abilities. Rules limit when it can use them. Usually a war must have started. The book says the president should think about changing that.
The document says “should”Who acts: CongressHow: legislationp. 218 in the PDF
What the document says
“The CEA should be updated to include foreign espionage efforts aimed at universities.”
The Counterintelligence Enhancement Act of 2002 governs the national counterintelligence structure. The chapter asks that it be updated to cover foreign espionage aimed at universities, that the National Counterintelligence and Security Center's role be amplified, and that the FBI receive significant additional resources and legal authorities as the lead operational counterintelligence agency. It states that China steals at least $400 billion to $600 billion in intellectual property each year.
What the document actually says
“The CEA should be updated to include foreign espionage efforts aimed at universities.”
That sentence, in plain words
Update this law. Make it cover foreign spying aimed at universities.
What this is about
Other countries try to steal research. Some of it is done at universities. The book says the law should cover that.
Recommendations on the structure and authority of the Director of National Intelligence, the CIA, covert action, politicization and leaks, surveillance law, counterintelligence and personnel.
The chapter's account of past controversies, its discussion of analytic tradecraft, and its extended argument about norms of political neutrality, which sets out expectations for intelligence leaders, Congress and the President rather than asking for a specific change.
Several passages here describe norms the chapter wishes to see observed rather than actions to be taken. Those are not indexed as proposals, though they occupy a substantial part of the chapter.
