Shake-Up at U.S. Intelligence: Staff Cuts Begin Under Trump Appointee
The upper echelons of U.S. intelligence are undergoing a significant reorganization. According to a CNN report citing an informed source, Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte, appointed by President Trump, commenced a substantial reduction in staff this past Monday.
Quiet Start to a "Cleaning" Operation
An anonymous source described the move to the network as part of an effort to address the so-called "deep state." "The cleaning has started," the source stated, while declining to specify the number of positions affected. Previous reports had indicated Pulte was considering cutting hundreds of roles within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
The groundwork for these changes was laid earlier. Reports indicate that Pulte arrived at his office a day before his formal swearing-in last week and requested a list of all employees—a move that reportedly caught the outgoing director, John Gaba, off guard.
Key Centers in the Crosshairs
Another source familiar with the plans suggested the cuts are expected to focus heavily on two pivotal agencies: the National Counterterrorism Center and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center. These centers are central to the U.S. national security apparatus.
- National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC): Established post-9/11, it is tasked with integrating and analyzing terrorism intelligence from across the government.
- National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC): Focuses on identifying and countering foreign intelligence threats and security risks to the United States.
The final scope of the staff reductions has not been officially disclosed, but the restructuring initiated from the top has sown considerable uncertainty within the intelligence community.