By Emmanuel Bobby
President Donald Trump’s newly appointed acting director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte, has begun a sweeping personnel shake-up within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), launching what sources describe as the first phase of a broader effort to significantly reduce the agency’s workforce.
According to a source familiar with the matter, staff dismissals started Monday as the administration moves forward with plans to shrink the intelligence bureaucracy and return personnel to their original agencies. The source characterized the move as the beginning of a major restructuring effort aimed at reducing what Trump allies have long referred to as the “deep state.”
The ODNI did not immediately provide public comment regarding the dismissals or the scope of the personnel actions underway.
Trump Tasks Pulte With Downsizing Intelligence Bureaucracy
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump selected Pulte to serve as acting director of national intelligence following the departure of Tulsi Gabbard.
In announcing the appointment, Trump said he had instructed Pulte to immediately begin reducing the size of the intelligence office and to return personnel to their parent agencies where appropriate.
Pulte, who previously led the Federal Housing Finance Agency, does not come from a traditional intelligence or national security background. His appointment generated questions from lawmakers in both parties, who raised concerns about placing a political appointee with limited intelligence experience in charge of the nation’s top intelligence coordinating office.
Despite those concerns, Pulte moved quickly after taking office.
Hundreds of Counterterrorism Personnel Could Be Targeted
A separate source familiar with internal discussions said Pulte recently directed agency officials to identify approximately 400 employees for potential removal from the National Counterterrorism Center, a key component of the American intelligence community.
The instruction reportedly came late Thursday, before Pulte officially assumed his new role on Friday.
The National Counterterrorism Center was created in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to improve information-sharing among intelligence agencies and strengthen the government’s ability to identify and disrupt terrorist threats.
Former intelligence officials have warned that substantial cuts to the center could weaken national security operations by reducing the government’s capacity to track emerging threats, coordinate intelligence assessments, and prevent potential attacks.
Supporters of the reductions argue that the intelligence community has grown excessively large over the past two decades and requires restructuring to improve efficiency and eliminate redundancy.
Congressional Democrats Push Back
The planned reductions have already triggered concern on Capitol Hill.
In a letter sent Monday to Pulte, the ranking Democrats on the congressional intelligence committees — Jim Himes and Mark Warner — urged him to halt any large-scale staffing changes.
The lawmakers argued that an acting director should not implement significant organizational changes without consulting Congress.
They expressed concern over reports indicating that hundreds of intelligence personnel could be fired or placed on administrative leave in the coming days.
According to the lawmakers, major restructuring decisions should be made only after thorough review and oversight, particularly given the intelligence community’s critical national security responsibilities.
The letter also noted that the agency has already undergone significant reductions during the Trump administration.
Intelligence Workforce Already Reduced
The latest personnel actions come after a year of substantial downsizing across the federal government.
A recent report from the Government Accountability Office found that approximately 256,000 federal employees—roughly 11% of the federal workforce—have left government service during 2025 through layoffs, workforce reductions, and restructuring efforts.
Within ODNI itself, internal documents released earlier this year indicated that staffing levels had already been reduced by nearly 30%, amounting to more than 500 positions.
Agency leadership had reportedly been exploring plans to eventually reduce staffing levels by as much as 50%.
The latest cuts would represent another major step toward that goal.
Leadership Turmoil at the Intelligence Office
The personnel shake-up is unfolding amid ongoing uncertainty about leadership at the nation’s intelligence agencies.
Pulte assumed the position after Gabbard announced her resignation, citing family considerations.
His appointment immediately generated bipartisan scrutiny due to his lack of intelligence and national security experience.
Shortly afterward, Trump announced plans to nominate Jay Clayton as the permanent director of national intelligence.
However, the administration unexpectedly paused Clayton’s confirmation process just hours before a scheduled Senate hearing.
Trump subsequently asked Senate Republicans to delay consideration of Clayton’s nomination until a successor is installed in Clayton’s current role as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
The move has left the intelligence community in a period of transition, with Pulte serving in an acting capacity while overseeing one of the most significant workforce reductions in the agency’s history.
Broader Debate Over Intelligence Reform
The restructuring effort reflects a broader debate within Washington over the size and mission of the intelligence community.
Supporters of the administration argue that intelligence agencies have become too large, too bureaucratic, and too insulated from accountability. They contend that reducing staff and streamlining operations could improve efficiency while lowering government spending.
Critics counter that aggressive cuts risk undermining intelligence collection, analysis, and counterterrorism efforts at a time when the United States continues to face threats from foreign adversaries, cyberattacks, and extremist organizations.
As the personnel reductions move forward, lawmakers, intelligence officials, and national security experts are expected to closely monitor the impact on agency operations and the broader intelligence apparatus.
For now, Pulte’s first days as acting intelligence chief have signaled that the Trump administration intends to pursue an aggressive restructuring strategy, despite growing opposition from congressional Democrats and concerns from former intelligence leaders.
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