Cuts at national intelligence agency spark concern over counterterrorism operations and oversight
The Trump administration has begun a major round of layoffs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, with hundreds of employees reportedly facing dismissal as part of a broad downsizing drive ordered by acting intelligence chief Bill Pulte.
According to US media reports, pink slips were issued on Monday to staff at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), with two key units expected to bear the brunt of the cuts: the National Counterterrorism Center and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center. The move comes just days after Pulte, President Donald Trump’s newly appointed acting director, reportedly requested a full list of ODNI employees and arrived early to begin reviewing staffing levels.
Lawmakers warn against deep cuts to intelligence workforce
The firings have triggered alarm among senior Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, who warned that sweeping staff reductions could undermine national security. In a letter sent to Pulte on Monday, Senator Mark Warner and Representative Jim Himes urged him to halt any large-scale layoffs, arguing that ODNI had already undergone significant downsizing earlier this year.
They cautioned that the agency was created after the September 11 attacks specifically to improve intelligence coordination and prevent future terrorist plots. The lawmakers also questioned whether Pulte, who has no intelligence background, was in a position to make major structural changes without consulting Congress.
Counterterrorism units expected to be hit hardest
Sources familiar with the matter told US media that around 400 employees could be cut from the National Counterterrorism Center in the coming weeks. Former intelligence officials warned that such reductions may damage the government’s ability to monitor terrorist threats, track suspected militants and share information across federal agencies.
The White House defended the move by pointing to President Trump’s recent statement that he had directed Pulte to carry out an immediate downsizing of the office and return some staff to their home agencies. However, critics argue that slashing personnel at the country’s top intelligence coordination body could weaken counterterrorism efforts at a time of growing global instability.
