All Podcasts / The Rest Is Classified / The Man Who Briefed the President on 9/11
The Rest Is Classified
The Rest Is Classified

The Man Who Briefed the President on 9/11

August 25, 2026 • 15m

Summary

⏱️ 9 min read

Overview

Michael Morrell, former acting director and deputy director of the CIA, shares his firsthand account of September 11th, 2001, when he served as President Bush's daily intelligence briefer. This episode provides an intimate look at the events inside Air Force One and the White House on that fateful day, offering unique insights into the immediate response to the attacks, the intelligence assessment process in real-time, and President Bush's transformation from a struggling leader to one with singular purpose. Morrell details the intense moments of briefing the president about who was responsible, warning of potential second-wave attacks, and witnessing F-16s escort Air Force One home past the smoldering Pentagon.

Journey to the CIA

Michael Morrell's path to the CIA was unexpected and almost accidental. Initially planning to pursue a PhD in economics and become a professor, he was encouraged by a professor to apply to the CIA. After interviews in Washington that revealed the agency's mission and people, combined with his parents' refusal to fund graduate school, he accepted a position as a young economic analyst. The CIA promised to send him back to school, making the decision easier, and he never looked back from what became a 33-year career.

  • Morrell was an economics major who wanted to get a PhD and teach, with no initial interest in intelligence work
  • A professor who likely worked for CIA encouraged him to apply, leading to interviews in Washington
  • He was attracted to the mission of figuring out what's really going on and telling the president, irrespective of policy or political implications
  • The strong sense of family at CIA was a defining characteristic that drew him in
  • His parents refused to pay for graduate school, providing additional motivation to accept the CIA offer
" I was blown away by the mission of keeping the country safe. I was particularly attracted to this mission of your job being to figure out what's really going on and tell the president, irrespective of the policy implications or the political implications. "

Becoming the President's Briefer

George Tenet, then CIA Director and Morrell's former boss, selected him to be President Bush's first daily intelligence briefer, believing their personalities would mesh well. Morrell accepted the role thinking it would allow more time with his young family, which turned out to be an analytical failure on his part. Starting in January 2001, he briefed the president six days a week wherever he was in the world, spending about an hour each session with Tenet joining as the 'color commentator' to Morrell's 'play by play.'

  • George Tenet asked Morrell to serve as President Bush's daily intelligence briefer, correctly predicting their personalities would mesh
  • Morrell thought the job would mean more time with his young family, which he calls an analytical failure
  • He began briefing President Bush on January 4, 2001, at the governor's mansion in Austin
  • The briefing routine was six days a week for about an hour, with Tenet as 'color commentator' and Morrell as 'play by play guy'
" I was wrong about that. That is an analytic failure right there. Believe me, I've had a lot of them. "

📚 7 more sections below

Sign up to unlock the complete summary with all insights, key points, and quotes

Listen on Apple Podcasts More Episodes from The Rest Is Classified