Secret government operations designed to influence events abroad without attribution
Covert action refers to activities conducted by intelligence agencies to influence political, economic, or military conditions abroad, where the role of the sponsoring government is not intended to be apparent or acknowledged publicly. Under U.S. law, covert action is defined in the National Security Act and requires a presidential finding before the CIA can proceed.
The history of U.S. covert action includes regime change operations in Iran (1953), Guatemala (1954), the Dominican Republic (1961), Chile (1973), and numerous other countries. It encompasses assassination programs against foreign leaders — documented by the Church Committee — as well as propaganda campaigns, paramilitary operations, election interference, and economic sabotage.
The Church Committee's findings led to executive orders banning assassinations (Executive Order 12333) and legislation requiring congressional notification of covert actions. However, the post-9/11 era saw a massive expansion of covert action authorities, including the CIA's drone strike program and the Joint Special Operations Command's global operations. The line between covert action and military operations has blurred considerably, creating accountability gaps that persist to this day.
