Is the main duty of the CIA to gather domestic intelligence?

The primary mission of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is to gather, process, and analyze national security information from around the world, primarily through human intelligence (HUMINT). The agency focuses on international intelligence and operations rather than domestic intelligence gathering. The CIA operates under the premise that its main responsibilities lie outside the United States, functioning to inform policymakers about external threats and developments.

While domestic surveillance and intelligence gathering do occur, they fall primarily under the jurisdiction of other agencies, like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is tasked with domestic security and law enforcement matters. Thus, saying that the main duty of the CIA is to gather domestic intelligence is inaccurate; this is not the agency's central focus or responsibility.