The CIA’s recent DEI strategy aims to make diversity initiatives central to hiring and promotion, according to newly revealed documents and a presentation from the agency’s diversity chief. While the CIA claims DEI efforts create a supportive workplace, critics argue the focus on DEI undermines merit-based promotions and could hinder national security.
The agency’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Jerry Laurienti, presented the new DEI focus at a biannual Defense Advisory Committee meeting in May. Laurienti confirmed that DEI is a key factor in promotion panels, which assess candidates on mission performance, corporate mindset and commitment to DEI. “It’s not just about a corporate contribution,” Laurienti stated, “but about creating an inclusive environment within their teams.”
The CIA’s DEI criteria require candidates to actively promote inclusion on the job. Laurienti insisted this aspect goes beyond typical diversity training, saying it’s embedded in every leadership level at the agency. These efforts align with the CIA’s goal of embedding DEI initiatives throughout its workforce, as reflected in internal slides stating a need for programs that withstand changes in presidential administrations.
Fred Fleitz, a former CIA official, expressed concerns that DEI-driven decisions detract from mission-critical work. He claims that an emphasis on DEI rather than merit allows adversaries to capitalize on a distracted intelligence service. Fleitz noted, “They’re not promoting based on merit; they’re using quotas to achieve political outcomes.”
The DEI strategy also includes reducing hiring barriers for underrepresented groups, as the CIA aims to make these initiatives enduring. Fleitz believes the agency’s DEI commitment risks entrenching a mindset focused on inclusivity over security and fears it will require substantial changes from future administrations to restore focus on national defense.
