Story perspectives

Pulte Slashes ODNI Staff; Democrats Push Senate-Confirmed DNI

6/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

Acting Director Bill Pulte began removing Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) staff, terminating six and reassigning 45.
Democratic Rep. Jim Himes and Sen. Mark Warner sent letters urging a halt and proposed legislation requiring a Senate-confirmed acting DNI.
President Donald Trump paused the nomination of U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton as DNI while Senators Tom Cotton and John Thune defended the cuts as returning employees to parent agencies.

History

Historical Context

After the 9/11 Commission urged a unified intelligence head, Congress passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act on December 17 2004, creating the Director of National Intelligence and an Office of about 1,750 staff overseeing 16 agencies. Senators Jay Rockefeller, Dianne Feinstein and Bob Graham championed the law. An acting director’s staff cuts have prompted senators to demand a Senate-confirmed DNI to preserve the post-9/11 reforms.

1 of 2

Story summary

Acting Director Bill Pulte began removing Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) staff, terminating six and reassigning 45.
Democratic Rep. Jim Himes and Sen. Mark Warner sent letters urging a halt and proposed legislation requiring a Senate-confirmed acting DNI.
President Donald Trump paused the nomination of U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton as DNI while Senators Tom Cotton and John Thune defended the cuts as returning employees to parent agencies.

1 / 2