Leibowitz: A Disturbing International Assessment—What Does it Mean?

In December 2020, Congress passed a massive spending bill, which is the way appropriations have been done in Washington for the last 20 years or so. One new provision with international implications is the requirement for the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to prepare an annual threat assessment report. This new report, issued recently by DNI, supplements another report issued for the third time in March, “Global Trends 2040.”

I have reviewed the reports, which are interesting in many respects, both for what they say and don’t say about threats to the United States from abroad (and from within). Avril Haynes, the new DNI appointed by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate on Jan. 20, testified before Congress on April 14 to outline the threat assessment, which focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change as key drivers.