Dear Molly,

What are a couple of the biggest differences between the @FBI and the @CIA?

~ Who’s Who

Dear Who’s Who,

Great question. Lots of people get the CIA and FBI confused.

The CIA’s mission is to collect foreign intelligence overseas, where as the FBI addresses domestic issues.

The CIA does not have law enforcement authority and does not collect information concerning the domestic activities of American citizens. (We do, however, have our own federal police force called the Special Protective Services who are responsible for protecting CIA employees and facilities).

The FBI, on the other hand, is the US government agency that investigates crimes on American soil and against American citizens abroad. The FBI is a law enforcement agency and is responsible for intelligence matters in the United States, especially those directed against US citizens. We do frequently work closely with the FBI, but our roles in keeping America safe are very different.

Hope that helps clarify things!

~ Molly