Trump-Ordered ODNI Mass Firings Begin Under Acting Director Bill Pulte

On Monday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) began a wave of terminations after Acting Director William Pulte, appointed by President Donald Trump, issued a directive to “downsize” the agency. A source described the development as “The deep state firings have begun,” though the exact number of personnel affected has not been disclosed.

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ODNI was created after the September 2001 attacks to coordinate the nation’s intelligence community and prevent future terrorist incidents. In 2025, the agency underwent a substantial reduction in force, a precedent cited by congressional critics who warn that further cuts could undermine its core mission.

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• William Pulte – Acting Director of National Intelligence, a Trump appointee with limited intelligence-community experience.

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• President Donald Trump – Issued a Truth Social post directing Pulte to “execute the immediate and needed downsizing of the office, reverting staff to their home agencies.”

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• Tulsi Gabbard – Outgoing ODNI director, caught off-guard by Pulte’s early arrival and request for a full employee list.

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• Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) – Leaders of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees, authors of a warning letter to Pulte.

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• June 19, 2026 – Trump names Pulte acting DNI.

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• Early June 2026 – Pulte arrives a day early, requests comprehensive staff rosters.

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• June 22, 2026 (Monday) – Firings commence; congressional letter sent; Trump’s Truth Social post published.

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Sources indicate that “hundreds” of ODNI officers may be terminated or placed on leave, with the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center identified as likely primary targets. No official count has been released.

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Analysts note that rapid, large-scale reductions risk degrading inter-agency coordination, especially in counterterrorism and counterintelligence functions. The 2025 downsizing already strained resources; further cuts could compromise the agency’s ability to detect and prevent threats.

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The White House referenced Trump’s Truth Social announcement as the basis for the downsizing order. Congressional leaders, in a joint letter, expressed “concern” over the proposed firings, emphasizing the need for “responsible reductions” and warning that abrupt cuts could jeopardize national security. ODNI has not provided an official comment.

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Warner and Himes questioned Pulte’s “lack of experience within the Intelligence Community,” arguing that an acting official should not enact sweeping personnel changes without congressional consultation. They stressed that any large cuts would follow the 2025 reductions and threaten the agency’s post-9/11 mission.

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• Number of personnel affected: Sources cite “hundreds,” but no precise figure is confirmed.

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• Official response: ODNI has not responded, leaving the extent of the firings and the criteria for selection unclear.

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• “The deep state firings have begun,” — Unnamed source

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• “We are concerned by reports that you intend to fire or place on leave hundreds of Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) officers as soon as this week.” — Sen. Mark Warner & Rep. Jim Himes

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• “While there is room to consider responsible reductions to ODNI’s workforce, any large cuts would follow on a substantial downsizing that has already occurred in 2025 and risk jeopardizing the mission of an organization explicitly created after 9/11 to prevent any future such terrorist attack,” — Warner & Himes

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• “They continued, “Given your lack of experience within the Intelligence Community, it is difficult to imagine that in such a short amount of time you have already developed fully informed views as to how to shrink ODNI without incurring risks to national security.” — Warner & Himes

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• “I have named William Pulte to be Acting Director of National Intelligence, who will take over on June 19th, and have asked him to execute the immediate and needed downsizing of the office, reverting staff to their home agencies,” — Donald Trump (Truth Social)

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Congressional committees are expected to hold hearings on the firings and may seek to limit further reductions pending a full review. The administration has not indicated a timeline for completing the downsizing, leaving the intelligence community in a period of uncertainty.

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