Tulsi Gabbard was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the new Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in a close vote of 52 to 48, with all Republican senators voting in favor and Democrats opposing. Her confirmation marks a significant shift in leadership for the U.S. intelligence community, given her background as a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, a combat veteran, and her recent political alignment with the Republican Party. Gabbard, who has no prior formal experience in intelligence, now assumes a critical role where she will coordinate and oversee the activities of 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, ensuring they work in concert to provide the president with critical intelligence assessments. This role involves managing a vast budget and ensuring that the intelligence community supports national security decisions with unbiased, actionable information.
 

In terms of power and influence on policy, the U.S. intelligence agencies can be ranked as follows:
 

1. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) - Historically, the CIA has been at the forefront of U.S. intelligence operations, particularly in foreign intelligence gathering, covert actions, and analysis. Under the current leadership of Director John Ratcliffe, the CIA's influence extends into policy-making through its role in shaping foreign policy, counterterrorism, and counterintelligence operations.
 

2. National Security Agency (NSA) - The NSA's influence stems from its capabilities in signals intelligence, cyber operations, and information assurance. It plays a pivotal role in national security by intercepting and decrypting foreign communications. The current director of the NSA is General Timothy D. Haugh, who leads an agency whose work directly impacts cybersecurity policy, international relations, and military strategy.
 

3. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - While primarily a domestic intelligence and law enforcement agency, the FBI's role in counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and cybercrime gives it significant influence over domestic policy. Kash Patel is set to soon assume command of the FBI, and the organization is already following his directives on an informal basis. This transition suggests a shift in focus and operational direction. The outgoing FBI Director, Christopher Wray, oversees operations that intersect with national security, civil liberties, and criminal justice policy, making it a key player in both domestic and, to some extent, international contexts.
 

Other agencies like the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) also wield considerable influence but are more specialized in military intelligence, geospatial intelligence, and satellite reconnaissance respectively. Gabbard's role will involve balancing these agencies' outputs, ensuring that intelligence is synthesized into coherent strategies that inform policy at the highest levels of government. Her lack of traditional intelligence background might lead to a new perspective on how these agencies interact with each other and with policymakers, potentially reshaping the intelligence community's approach under her stewardship.