WASHINGTON — Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte has begun trimming staff at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, firing several officials and reassigning dozens of others to their home agencies days after taking office.
Pulte, appointed by President Donald Trump, initiated the reductions this week. Reports indicate six political appointees were fired and nearly four dozen career officers detailed from other agencies were returned to their home organizations.
Trump directed Pulte to execute downsizing of the office, which coordinates the U.S. intelligence community’s 18 agencies. In a statement on Truth Social, Trump said he asked Pulte to carry out “immediate and needed downsizing of the office, reverting staff to their home agencies.”
The moves follow earlier workforce reductions under former Director Tulsi Gabbard, who in 2025 announced plans for approximately 40 percent cuts to the office, citing inefficiencies. The ODNI workforce had already been scaled back significantly before Pulte’s arrival.
Pulte, who previously led the Federal Housing Finance Agency and lacks intelligence background, assumed the acting role in mid-June after Gabbard’s resignation. He requested a full employee list shortly after starting.
Democratic lawmakers expressed concerns about the pace and scope of changes by an acting official. Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut and Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia warned against major workforce reductions without congressional consultation.
Current and former officials described the initial cuts as more limited than some had anticipated, though further reductions could follow.
As of Thursday, the full extent of the staff trimming and its impact on operations remained under assessment. Details on additional planned cuts, including any targeting specific centers like the National Counterterrorism Center, were not fully disclosed. The intelligence community continues to coordinate on national security priorities amid the internal adjustments.
