Politico: British intelligence heavily dependent on US

The United Kingdom may face serious challenges to its global intelligence capabilities if its close-knit ties with American intelligence are weakened, current and former intelligence officials have warned.

Speaking anonymously to Politico, several sources with direct experience in the intelligence community described the integration between U.S. and U.K. intelligence as so extensive that severing it—or replacing the American contribution—would be near impossible, Caliber.Az reports.

One senior British intelligence official noted that while the U.K. can analyze American satellite imagery, it lacks the means to acquire such data independently. “The Americans can either continue or stop providing intelligence,” he said, underlining Britain’s dependency.

The two countries are part of the Five Eyes alliance, a decades-old intelligence-sharing network that also includes Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Established in the aftermath of World War II, the alliance has long been seen as a cornerstone of Western intelligence cooperation.

Despite longstanding institutional ties, recent developments under President Donald Trump’s administration have put the relationship under strain. Trump's decision last month to suspend the sharing of intelligence with Ukraine—both directly and through other Five Eyes members—raised alarms across European capitals. Yet, the U.K. notably refrained from public criticism.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson emphasized that the relationship between London and Washington on defense, security, and intelligence “remains inextricably entwined,” signaling continued commitment to bilateral cooperation despite emerging tensions.

Concerns were further exacerbated after U.S. National Security Adviser Michael Waltz mistakenly included a journalist in a private Signal chat, during which American military action in Yemen was discussed—an incident interpreted by insiders as emblematic of declining standards in information security.

Experts say the cracks in the alliance, though not yet fatal, are becoming visible. “Five Eyes survived Snowden,” one former senior British intelligence official said, referring to the 2013 NSA leaks by Edward Snowden that exposed extensive global surveillance operations. “But those leaks changed the way intelligence is gathered and how tech firms interact with the state.”

If the current rift continues to widen, Britain could be left with limited options to maintain its global intelligence standing. As one former operative put it, the U.K.’s ability to function as a major intelligence player is deeply rooted in its alliance with the U.S.—a bond not easily replicated elsewhere.

By Khagan Isayev