Trump’s daily intelligence briefings may be redesigned to look like Fox News

Trump’s daily intelligence briefings may be redesigned to look like Fox News

US President Donald Trump’s intelligence chief, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, is reportedly considering sweeping changes to the President’s Daily Brief (PDB) to better match Trump's media habits and increase his trust in intelligence reports, according to five individuals with direct knowledge of the discussions, the NBC has reported.

Among the more radical proposals under consideration is transforming the traditionally text-based PDB into a video format modelled after a Fox News broadcast. Four sources familiar with the discussions said the format could include hiring a Fox News producer and potentially even using a recognisable network personality to deliver the briefing. Another idea floated involves adding animated graphics, such as exploding bombs on maps, to make the material more visually engaging.

Trump’s history with the PDB

Trump has taken the PDB significantly less frequently than his recent predecessors. Since his second inauguration, he has received the briefing only 14 times — an average of less than once a week. In comparison, Joe Biden received 90 PDBs, and Barack Obama had 63 in the same time frame of their first terms.

Sources said Gabbard sees Trump’s sporadic engagement with the PDB as a symptom of his distrust of intelligence agencies and a preference for consuming information visually and verbally, rather than through dense written reports. During Trump’s first term, the PDB was already simplified into a one-page outline with graphics and delivered twice weekly in a verbal briefing.

Gabbard’s reform efforts

According to sources, Gabbard has been soliciting ideas from both current and former intelligence officials to tailor the PDB to Trump’s interests and learning style. These efforts are part of what her office describes as a broader reform of how intelligence is delivered at the highest level.

Asked for comment, a DNI spokesperson dismissed the NBC News report as “laughable, absurd, and flat-out false,” while a White House spokesman labelled it “libelous garbage.” Despite those denials, a source close to the DNI’s internal deliberations confirmed that revamping the PDB has been a bipartisan concern, with Gabbard aiming to make it more effective and relevant.

Gabbard has reportedly considered moving the preparation of the PDB from CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in McLean. This shift would give the DNI more control over both the content and presentation of the briefing.

Concerns over politicisation

The changes have raised alarm among some intelligence professionals and lawmakers. Recent firings of two senior officials from the National Intelligence Council, who had signed off on an analysis that contradicted Trump’s narrative about a Venezuelan gang, sparked concerns about political interference. DNI staff were also reportedly asked to revise assessments that undermined Trump’s immigration policies.

Congressman Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, criticised the firings, warning that they signalled a move toward aligning intelligence with political priorities rather than objective truth.

Even as Gabbard pushes to revamp the PDB for Trump, officials say other recipients — including top Cabinet members — would continue receiving the briefing in its traditional format. Currently, Trump is given a weekly digest highlighting the most critical information from the past week, along with any urgent new developments.

Tailoring intelligence to presidential interests

Customising intelligence for a president isn’t unusual. Under Biden, the PDB has featured updates on climate change and gender issues. Gabbard’s proposals include placing greater emphasis on economic and trade intelligence and reducing focus on topics like the war in Ukraine — again reflecting Trump’s stated priorities.

Still, many former officials say the fundamental challenge is not just format, but trust. “You shift with the priorities of the administration,” said one person familiar with the PDB process. “But with Trump, getting him to embrace the PDB is a very uphill fight.”