Who are the gang of eight? This group is made up of the Speaker of the House, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the House and Senate, and the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees.
The group plays a critical role in overseeing the intelligence activities of the United States government, including the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and other intelligence agencies.
They are given access to highly classified information — called a gang of eight briefing — and are responsible for ensuring that the intelligence community is operating within the bounds of the law and in accordance with the Constitution.
The role of the Gang of Eight was established in the 1970s in response to concerns about the abuse of intelligence powers by the CIA and other agencies. The idea was to create a small, bipartisan group of elected officials who could receive and review sensitive intelligence information and act as a check on the intelligence community.
The group has the power to receive intelligence briefings, request additional information, and bring any concerns about intelligence activities to the attention of the President or other relevant authorities. It’s similar to the briefings the president gets in the Situation Room.
They also play a role in the authorization and appropriation of intelligence funding.
In this way, the Gang of Eight acts as a bridge between the intelligence community and the rest of the government, ensuring that intelligence activities are conducted in a manner that is consistent with the values and laws of the United States.
In recent years, the role of the Gang of Eight has become increasingly important as the United States faces new and evolving national security threats.
The group has been involved in discussions about the use of drones, the collection of intelligence on American citizens, and the handling of classified information.
Examples of “Gang of Eight” in a sentence:
The Hill (July 9, 2020): “CIA Director Gina Haspel and National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone will brief congressional leaders known as the Gang of Eight on intelligence related to suspected Russian bounties on U.S. forces on Thursday.”
International Business Times: “Senior congressional leaders from both parties met for a classified Gang of Eight intelligence briefing with administration officials ahead of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, raising eyebrows.”