Intelligence leaders defend efforts to promote diversity in face of Republican attacks

The Biden administration's most senior intelligence officials defended their push to boost diversity in the ranks of the intelligence community in a congressional hearing on Wednesday, amid attacks from Republicans that such efforts are a distraction from core national security priorities.

Diversity and inclusion "is not only the smart thing to do for an agency with a global mission, it's the right thing to do for an agency that represents and defends our diverse society," CIA director Bill Burns told the House Intelligence Committee. "Simply put, we can't be effective and we're not being true to our nation's ideals if everyone looks like me, talks like me and thinks like me."

Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, said diversity and inclusion efforts -- including attempts to boost recruitment and retention -- are "essential to our mission and our values."