The Trump administration has begun a sweeping reduction of staff at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), with hundreds of employees reportedly facing dismissal as part of a broader effort to shrink the agency.
The move is being overseen by acting Director Bill Pulte, who was recently appointed by President Donald Trump. According to US media reports, the largest cuts are expected to affect the National Counterterrorism Center and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center.
The administration has framed the layoffs as part of a restructuring initiative aimed at returning personnel to their original agencies and reducing the size of the intelligence bureaucracy.
The decision has drawn criticism from senior Democratic lawmakers, who warned that significant workforce reductions could weaken the intelligence community’s ability to identify and respond to national security threats.
In a letter to Pulte, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner and House Intelligence Committee ranking member Jim Himes argued that further cuts could undermine an organization created after the September 11 attacks to improve coordination across US intelligence agencies.
Former intelligence officials have also expressed concern, saying substantial staffing reductions at counterterrorism units could hamper efforts to detect and prevent potential terrorist plots.
The White House has defended the downsizing plan, citing President Trump’s directive to streamline the agency and reduce its workforce.
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