What is the lead US counterterrorism agency?

• A. FBI
• B. National Counterterrorism Center
• C. CIA
• D. DHS

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is who coordinates the full spectrum of counterterrorism efforts at the national level. The National Counterterrorism Center is the best fit because it is the central hub within the U.S. intelligence community designed to integrate counterterrorism intelligence from all agencies, coordinate national CT planning, and oversee threat assessment and information sharing across the FBI, CIA, DHS, NSA, and military partners. It sits under the Director of National Intelligence to ensure a unified, cross-agency view and response to terrorism threats, rather than focusing on a single agency’s operations.

FBI handles domestic counterterrorism investigations and law enforcement actions, CIA conducts foreign intelligence gathering and covert operations, and DHS leads domestic security and resilience programs. None of these alone covers the nationwide, intelligence-driven coordination role that NCTC specializes in, which is why it is considered the lead entity for coordinating U.S. counterterrorism efforts.