Inside the CIA, the White House & the Intelligence Purges | Julia Curlee

Oct 3, 2026

Julia Curlee, a former DIA and CIA analyst who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the National Security Council, recounts tracking kidnappers and Zarqawi’s network, briefing Petraeus and Mike Pence, and navigating her transition while serving at CIA. She discusses the intelligence failure surrounding ISIS, politicization, White House purges, China’s strategic challenge, and rebuilding national security institutions.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Briefing Petraeus In Afghanistan

Curlee abruptly accepted a role briefing General Petraeus in Afghanistan despite limited country expertise.
She distilled thousands of intelligence reports into concise daily guidance while serving as a bridge between CIA and military leadership.

INSIGHT

When Military Optimism Meets Intelligence Reality

CIA assessments of Afghanistan were bleak while Petraeus pursued a turnaround strategy.
The briefer’s job required delivering unwelcome judgments faithfully, even when the commander disputed analysts’ understanding.

ANECDOTE

Coming Out After Years Of War-Zone Avoidance

Curlee spent years burying her gender identity in deployments and work until the pressure became unbearable after Afghanistan.
She disclosed her identity to CIA security because she feared either being fired for hiding it or for telling the truth.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app