“The #CIA workforce thanks Director Haspel for her 36 years of dedicated service to the American people. You have broken barriers and empowered the next generation of CIA officers.”

CIA Tweet (January 19 2021)

January 20 2021 — Late last night, a CIA tweet announced that CIA Director Gina Haspel had resigned. President-elect Joe Biden has nominated William Burns to be the next CIA director but this position must be confirmed by the Senate. So, who is the CIA director right now? Here is the answer. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

RELATED POST: One Year Ago — CIA New Order of Succession (June 14 2019)

RELATED POST: RUMINT — DCIA Gina Haspel to Step Down After Election. Who will run Biden’s CIA? [FINAL UPDATE — Haspel Goodbye Tweet]

“I am honored and delighted to once again join the leadership team at CIA.” Acting DCIA Cohen

CIA Tweet (5:46 PM · Jan 21, 2021)

UPDATE (January 21 2021) — President-elect Joe Biden has picked David Cohen to serve as deputy director of the CIA. This position doesn’t require Senate confirmation.

The CIA just tweeted:

“#CIA welcomes back Deputy Director David Cohen, who is serving as Acting Director while Ambassador William J. Burns awaits Senate confirmation.”

David S. Cohen was sworn-in yesterday (January 202021) to serve as the Agency’s Deputy Director, a position he held previously from 2015 to 2017.

While awaiting the Senate confirmation of Ambassador William J. Burns as CIA Director, Cohen will also serve as Acting Director.

“I am honored and delighted to once again join the leadership team at CIA. I will do my very best to ensure the CIA’s dedicated intelligence officers have what they need to continue to present honest analysis and unvarnished intelligence to the President and other policymakers. We look forward to supporting Ambassador Burns —someone with a deep understanding of our mission and a great admiration for the workforce — as he engages with the Senate in the upcoming weeks.”

Acting Director Cohen (Jan 21 2021)

END of UPDATE

January 20 2021 — McEvoy — Forbes Staff Business — writes:

“President-elect Joe Biden has named William Burns, a deputy secretary of state in the Obama administration, as his pick for CIA director, however, it’s currently unclear who will serve in the role until a new director is confirmed by the Senate.

The CIA did not immediately respond to questions from Forbes.”

Actually, it is crystal clear who exercises the Director’s powers if the Director position becomes vacant.

According to the Memorandum on Providing an Order of Succession Within the Central Intelligence Agency (The White House — June 14 2019):

“The following officers of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in the order listed, shall act as and perform the functions and duties of the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA), during any period in which the D/CIA has died, resigned, or otherwise becomes unable to perform the functions and duties of the office of D/CIA.”

The order of succession determines who (according to a list of 12 CIA officers) will act and perform the functions and duties of the CIA Director in the event Gina Haspel “resigns”.

At the top of the list, you find “Deputy Director, CIA” who is currently Vaughn Bishop serving in this position since August 1 2018.

Next on this list are: Chief Operating Officer, Deputy Director of CIA for Operations, Deputy Director of CIA for Analysis, Deputy Director of CIA for Science and Technology, Deputy Director of CIA for Digital Innovation, Deputy Director of CIA for Support, General Counsel, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Senior CIA Representative for the United Kingdom,  Senior CIA Representative for the East Coast and Senior CIA Representative for the West Coast.

PS — President-elect Joe Biden has picked David Cohen to serve as deputy director of the CIA. This position doesn’t require Senate confirmation.

“The CIA Deputy Director (DD/CIA) supports the Director in managing the Agency’s intelligence collection, analysis, covert action, counterintelligence, and liaison relationships with foreign services. The DD/CIA also exercises the Director’s powers in his or her absence or if the Director position becomes vacant.”

CIA Website — Deputy Director of the CIA

REFERENCES

CIA Director Gina Haspel Announces Resignation — Forbes

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CIA Director Gina Haspel has resigned. Who is the boss now?

CIA Director Gina Haspel has resigned. Who is the boss now? Answer : Deputy Director David Cohen is serving as Acting Director