Firings underway at Office of Director of National Intelligence, source says
Workforce cuts at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence began Monday, a senior White House official told MS NOW, following plans by the office’s acting director to reduce staffing across the agency.
In his June 10 announcement on Truth Social naming Bill Pulte as his pick to serve as acting director, President Donald Trump said he directed Pulte to “execute the immediate and needed downsizing of the office” and return some personnel to their home agencies.
Pulte, who oversees the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies in the acting role, assumed the position last week. CNN was the first to report the firings.
In a letter sent Monday to Pulte, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner and the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Jim Himes, expressed concern over reports that hundreds of employees could be fired or placed on leave, arguing that major reductions could weaken an office created after the Sept. 11 attacks to improve intelligence coordination and guard against future national security threats.
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Jake Traylor is a White House correspondent for MS NOW.
Ebony Davis is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked at CNN as a campaign reporter covering elections and politics.
