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Central Intelligence Agency
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List of CIA directors

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Also known as: CIA
Written by
Robert W. Pringle
Adjunct professor, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia. Former intelligence analyst, Directorate of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency.
Robert W. Pringle
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated: • Article History
Quick Facts
Date:
1947 - present
Areas Of Involvement:
intelligence

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The table provides a chronological list of the directors of the CIA.

CIA directors
name dates of service
Rear Adm. Sidney W. Souers, USNR Jan. 23, 1946–June 10, 1946
Lt. Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, USA June 10, 1946–May 1, 1947
Rear Adm. Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, USN May 1, 1947–Oct. 7, 1950
Gen. Walter Bedell Smith, USA Oct. 7, 1950–Feb. 9, 1953
Allen W. Dulles Feb. 26, 1953–Nov. 29, 1961
John A. McCone Nov. 29, 1961–April 28, 1965
Vice Adm. William F. Raborn, Jr., USN April 28, 1965–June 30, 1966
Richard M. Helms June 30, 1966–Feb. 2, 1973
James R. Schlesinger Feb. 2, 1973–July 2, 1973
William E. Colby Sept. 4, 1973–Jan. 30, 1976
George H.W. Bush Jan. 30, 1976–Jan. 20, 1977
Adm. Stansfield Turner, USN March 9, 1977–Jan. 20, 1981
William J. Casey Jan. 28, 1981–Jan. 29, 1987
William H. Webster May 26, 1987–Aug. 31, 1991
Robert M. Gates Nov. 6, 1991–Jan. 20, 1993
R. James Woolsey Feb. 5, 1993–Jan. 10, 1995
John M. Deutch May 10, 1995–Dec. 15, 1996
George J. Tenet July 11, 1997–July 11, 2004
Porter J. Goss Sept. 24, 2004–May 26, 2006
Gen. Michael V. Hayden, USAF May 30, 2006–Feb. 13, 2009
Leon E. Panetta Feb. 13, 2009–June 30, 2011
David Petraeus Sept. 6, 2011–Nov. 9, 2012
John Brennan March 8, 2013–Jan. 20, 2017
Mike Pompeo Jan. 23, 2017–April 26, 2018
Gina Haspel May 21, 2018–Jan. 19, 2021
William J. Burns March 19, 2021–