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The assessment of Barack Obama’s intelligence policy reveals numerous ambiguities, which reflect a presidency oscillating between change and continuity. While, as a candidate, Obama used this issue to distance himself from his predecessor, most notably from a moral standpoint, as commander-in-chief, Obama appeared much more pragmatic. On the topics of electronic surveillance and covert action, Obama continued and, in some cases, expanded programs that had been set up after 9/11. Minor changes to these programs only came in response to controversies triggered by leaks or press reports, which shows how Obama perpetuated the United States’ ambivalence toward intelligence.