The Senate confirmation hearing for President Biden’s nominee for CIA director, William Burns, is pending. It offers a critical opportunity for people to learn how the Biden administration plans to reform and retool the CIA, a most venerable and unique espionage institution.
After four years of a very opaque Trump administration — at least, that is, in terms of the former administration’s openness and its CIA leadership team, which shunned the spotlight — we should want reform at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. I hope that Burns and his deputy director, David Cohen, will return to the practices set by former Director Leon Panetta. Their increased media accessibility and open engagement with Congress would be beneficial. As would their improved outreach to the public. One thing is for certain: Change is needed as the agency grapples with the rising information and technology age. “Reform or risk irrelevancy” must be the buzzwords at Langley in early 2021. With this in mind, senators should address these five questions toward Burns.
