CIA PDB Briefer to President Trump | Senior Intel Analyst | Beth Sanner

In this episode of Combat Story, we hear from Beth Sanner, a former senior CIA analyst and President's Daily Brief (PDB) briefer to President Trump. Beth previously served as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration, the Director of the PDB and as Vice Chair of the National Intelligence Council.

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Beth also held several senior leadership positions in the CIA's Directorate of Analysis, including leading the analytic effort on South Asia and serving as the deputy for analysis for Russian and European affairs. In this episode, we cover her time as a briefer to Trump, her stint with the NSC, her position at CIA covering Russia and Eurasia shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, and leading the Career Analyst Program (the training program for all CIA analysts).

The PDB Briefer is a prestigious position and not a political appointee. We also interviewed former military analyst and PDB Briefer to President Obama Michelle DiGruttolo if you're interested in hearing her perspective as well.

With that, I hope you enjoy this fascinating inside look at the upper echelons of the analytic side of the CIA as much as I did.

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Show Notes:

00:00 Introduction and Host Background
00:57 Guest Introduction: Beth Sanner
02:18 Beth's Career and Analytical Process
05:49 Consultancy and Expertise
09:41 Early Life and Influences
13:51 Career Path and Key Positions
32:15 Mentorship and Leadership
38:05 Logistics and Program Growth Challenges
39:13 The Role of Note Takers in High-Stakes Calls
41:17 Experiences Aboard Air Force One
43:04 Becoming a Presidential Daily Briefer
53:36 Building Trust with the President
55:47 Handling Personal and Professional Challenges
01:00:01 The Human Side of Intelligence Work
01:11:36 Reflections and Final Thoughts