Daniel Byman
The Trump administration’s recent decision to cut off intelligence sharing with Ukraine will get less attention than its halting of military aid, but it will also be consequential. If anything, the United States should be increasing intelligence cooperation not only with Ukraine, but also with other key partners.
Intelligence sharing is a cornerstone of U.S. efforts to ensure its own security and that of key allies and partners. Effective sharing enhances strategic coordination, enables timely responses to threats, and strengthens trust between nations. Despite its importance, intelligence sharing does not live up to its potential. As Sean Corbett and James Danoy—former senior British and U.S. intelligence officials, respectively—have written, “With few exceptions, and despite the best of intentions, intelligence sharing is uneven, remains the exception rather than the norm, and the prospect of simultaneity at the point of need is remote.” Drawing on a larger research project that drew heavily on interviews with U.S. and allied officials and experts, this piece critically examines the current state of U.S. intelligence sharing, identifies key challenges, and proposes solutions to improve the effectiveness of these partnerships.
As a former head of the U.K. Secret Intelligence Service put it, intelligence is “a team sport.” The U.S. intelligence community operates within a complex web of alliances, including the Five Eyes (composed of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom). The Five Eyes, however, are an exception: Bilateral cooperation is the preferred form of intelligence liaison, primarily for security reasons. The more widely information is disseminated, the more likely it is to be revealed through spying, media leaks, or other unauthorized disclosures.
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