Pulte said the Office of the Director of National Intelligence is carrying out a fifth and nearly final round of terminations as part of an effort to reduce staffing and refocus the agency on national security and its statutory mission.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte announced Tuesday that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence was carrying out another round of employee terminations, bringing the agency’s staff reduction to approximately 30% from its level several weeks earlier.
Pulte described the action as the fifth and nearly final stage of a broader restructuring effort. His announcement followed a fourth round of layoffs that he said was completed Sunday night.
“Good News!” Pulte wrote on X.
“In addition to the Historic DECLASSIFICATIONS (Transparency!) by the President, we are, this morning, Executing a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS, an approximately 30% Staff Reduction from Weeks Ago,” he continued.
“The Intelligence Community must protect the American people, NOT the political whims of the bloated and corrupt elite class.”
Pulte did not disclose the number of employees affected by Tuesday’s action or identify the offices and positions included in the reductions. His statement characterized the terminations as part of an effort to reshape the intelligence bureaucracy around national security, federal law and the responsibilities assigned to ODNI by statute.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence coordinates work across the U.S. intelligence community and advises the president and other senior officials on national security matters.
Pulte announced the previous round of staffing cuts in a separate X post Sunday, saying his team had been reducing the agency’s size in a deliberate manner since he became acting director.
“Since becoming Acting Director of National Intelligence, our team has been smartly, and carefully, reducing the size of ODNI, re-focusing ODNI on national security, the law, and the statute,” Pulte said.
“As of this evening, we just finished a 4th round of thoughtful, measured layoffs. Thank you!”
His two announcements indicate that the fourth and fifth rounds occurred within days of one another. The fifth round was described as “near final,” suggesting that the agency’s current restructuring may be approaching completion.
Pulte linked the staffing reductions to declassification actions ordered by President Donald Trump, presenting both initiatives as part of a broader effort to increase transparency and change the priorities of the intelligence community.
He also accused elements of the existing intelligence bureaucracy of serving what he called the “political whims” of an entrenched elite rather than protecting Americans.
No additional details were provided about the employees who were dismissed, the criteria used to select positions for elimination or whether further reductions are planned after the fifth round.
Pulte’s statement placed the overall contraction at approximately 30% compared with ODNI staffing levels several weeks ago. He said the changes were intended to produce a smaller organization more narrowly focused on national security and its legal mandate.
Original article
Comments