How Important Is The DNI ???

Here is one analyst's tongue-in-check assessment of our current and potentially future DNIs:

Tulsi Gabbard – Army LTC, veteran of US Middle Eastern wars, public and private patriot, Congresswoman, and candidate for President - cannot be allowed to be DNI. Obviously, the US needs someone like the current DNI, Avril Haines, who has a law degree she hasn’t used, once ran a bookstore, never served in the military, nor worked in the intelligence community. Instead, she made her way into government service via political appointment after political appointment. And that’s exactly how we like our DNIs. Imagine if they actually read intelligence and didn’t just serve as a rubber stamp for the professional intelligence bureaucracy? In Princess Bride terms, we prefer our intelligence directors to be puppets of the deep state, and we say in unison, “Tulsi Gabbard? Inconceivable!”

Source - https://karenkwiatkowski.substack.com/p/the-capitol-report

How important is the DNI? VERY, whether you want them to just rubber-stamp BS or to ACTUALLY do their job, which includes the following:

Leading the Intelligence Community

The DNI is the head of the United States Intelligence Community (IC), which includes the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the National Security Agency (NSA). The DNI oversees and directs the IC's activities.

Advising the president

The DNI advises the president, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council on intelligence matters.

Providing intelligence

The DNI provides timely and objective intelligence to the president, other executive branch officials, Congress, and military commanders.

Establishing priorities

The DNI sets objectives and priorities for collecting, analyzing, producing, and disseminating intelligence.

Ensuring access

The DNI ensures that intelligence information is available and accessible within the IC.

Developing the budget

The DNI develops and executes an annual budget for the national intelligence program.

Coordinating with foreign governments

The DNI oversees coordination with intelligence and security services from foreign governments and international organizations.

(h/t Google AI)

No doubt Ms. Haines is very intelligent and capable, but did she actually do these things?

I dunno. What do you think?