President Donald Trump has directed acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to begin reducing the size of the U.S. intelligence bureaucracy, opening a new phase in the administration’s effort to reshape federal national security agencies.
Trump said he wants the intelligence office to become smaller and argued that some officials currently serving in intelligence-related roles should no longer be there. His comments came after Pulte was named acting director of national intelligence following the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard.
“I’d like to see it smaller,” Trump said when discussing the intelligence office. “I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there.”
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, known as ODNI, coordinates the work of 18 intelligence agencies and organizations, including the CIA, NSA, Defense Intelligence Agency, and intelligence components within the FBI. The DNI serves as the president’s top intelligence adviser and helps oversee intelligence priorities, budgets, coordination, and classification decisions across the federal government.
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Pulte, who previously served as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, drew immediate scrutiny after Trump selected him for the acting intelligence role. Critics questioned whether he had enough national security experience for one of the government’s most sensitive positions. Supporters argued that his management background could help him carry out Trump’s push for restructuring and cost-cutting.
Because Pulte is serving in an acting capacity, he does not need immediate Senate confirmation. That temporary status could allow him to begin implementing organizational changes while the White House moves forward with a permanent nominee.
Trump has since announced Jay Clayton, the former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman and current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, as his nominee to become the next permanent director of national intelligence. But in the meantime, Pulte is expected to oversee the office during a period of transition.
The administration has not released a detailed public plan for the reductions. It remains unclear how many positions could be affected, whether cuts would focus only on ODNI headquarters, or whether broader intelligence agencies such as the CIA and FBI could face personnel reviews tied to the effort.
Trump and his allies have long argued that parts of the federal intelligence community became politicized and resistant to his agenda. During both his first and second terms, Trump repeatedly criticized what he and his supporters describe as “deep state” influence inside federal agencies.
Supporters of the new push say downsizing the intelligence bureaucracy could reduce costs, eliminate duplication, and remove officials they believe have used government positions for political purposes. They argue that intelligence agencies should be more accountable to elected leadership and more focused on core national security missions.
Critics warn that large-scale personnel changes could damage institutional knowledge, disrupt intelligence operations, and politicize agencies that are supposed to provide objective analysis. Former national security officials and some lawmakers have expressed concern that removing experienced staff during a period of global instability could weaken coordination among agencies.
The timing is especially sensitive. The United States is dealing with major security challenges involving Iran, Russia, China, cyber threats, terrorism, and surveillance policy. Any major restructuring of the intelligence community could affect how quickly agencies share information, analyze threats, and brief policymakers.
The issue also overlaps with a political fight over surveillance powers. Lawmakers have been debating the future of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a key tool used to collect foreign intelligence. Pulte’s appointment and the broader uncertainty around intelligence leadership have added tension to those talks.
Trump has also said he wants classified materials related to the 2020 election and claims of voter fraud reviewed for possible release. He suggested Pulte should examine “everything” and make determinations about what can be made public. That statement is likely to draw additional scrutiny because declassification decisions involving intelligence records can affect sources, methods, and national security relationships.
For now, the administration is framing the effort as a reform push aimed at improving efficiency and accountability. ODNI has said it looks forward to working with Pulte and the administration on initiatives focused on reducing costs and improving performance.
But the political fight is likely to intensify if staff reductions begin quickly or if the administration moves to remove officials viewed as tied to previous administrations. Any perception that the intelligence community is being reshaped for political reasons could trigger pushback from Democrats, some Republicans, and national security professionals.
At the same time, Trump’s base is likely to support the effort. Many of his supporters have long demanded a broader overhaul of federal agencies they believe opposed his first administration from within.
The coming weeks will show whether Pulte’s role remains limited to temporary management or becomes the beginning of a wider intelligence shake-up. With Clayton now nominated for the permanent job, Pulte’s window may be short — but Trump has made clear he wants the process to begin immediately.
Why It Matters
This matters because the director of national intelligence oversees coordination across America’s intelligence agencies. Any effort to reduce staffing, restructure offices, or review personnel could affect how intelligence is gathered, analyzed, and shared with the president and Congress.
It also matters politically because Trump’s push reflects his broader effort to reshape federal institutions he believes became too large, too costly, or too hostile to his agenda. Supporters see reform. Critics see a possible purge of experienced national security officials.
What Comes Next
The next question is whether Pulte begins visible staffing cuts or organizational changes before Jay Clayton’s nomination moves through the Senate. Lawmakers may also demand more details about what positions are being targeted and whether the changes affect national security operations.
Clayton’s confirmation process could become the next major battleground. Senators are likely to ask whether he supports Trump’s plan to downsize the office and how he would protect intelligence independence while carrying out the president’s reform agenda.
The Daily Mail reported that Trump wants acting DNI Bill Pulte to begin reviewing intelligence personnel and reducing the size of the office, a move critics say could spark a major political fight over national security staffing.
Donald Trump has ordered his incoming director of national intelligence, who oversees the 18 federal intelligence agencies including the CIA, to begin a mass purge of intelligence officials who are holdovers from the Obama and Biden administrations https://t.co/jHX14yaZgo 🔗 pic.twitter.com/lmjf0urb7I
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) June 5, 2026
