In the United States, the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) serves as the head of both the Intelligence Community and the Central Intelligence Agency. In addition he serves as an advisor to the President of the United States on intelligence matters and is the statutory intelligence advisor to the National Security Council.

The Director is assisted by the National Intelligence Council, the National Counterintelligence Executive, and his various Assistant and Deputy Directors.

The post was established in 1946 by President Truman; it thus predates the establishment of the C.I.A. After the end of World War II, the Office of Strategic Services was dismantled and its functions were split between the Departments of State and War (now Defense). President Truman soon recognized the inefficiency of this arrangement and created the Central Intelligence Group , which could be considered a smaller precursor to the National Security Council. The following year the National Security Act of 1947 created the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Council, while formally defining the duties of the Director of Central Intelligence. The duties of the D.C.I. have been further defined over the years by tradition, congressional acts, and Executive Orders.

A list of Directors of Central Intelligence (in chronological order):