Full Breakdown
Bill Pulte’s First Week as Acting DNI: Personnel Cuts Spark Congressional Alarm
6/24/2026, 10:54:30 PM
Immediate Personnel Reductions at ODNI
Within days of assuming the acting director role on June 19, Bill Pulte terminated six intelligence staff members and reassigned 45 career officials to their home agencies. The moves affected both career and political appointees but left the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) untouched. Sources said Pulte consulted deputies and other leaders before deciding that 51 positions would be eliminated for now, describing the process as “thoughtful and methodical.” No additional layoffs have been announced.
Recent History of ODNI Downsizing
Pulte inherited an agency already in the midst of reduction. Former director Tulsi Gabbard announced a 40 % workforce cut in 2025, aiming to shrink the ODNI from roughly 2,000 employees to about 1,300. Gabbard later claimed to have dismissed about 500 staff, roughly 30 % of the office. The 2025 reductions followed a broader federal downsizing that eliminated about 256,000 workers (11 % of the federal workforce).
Key Figures
- Bill Pulte – Acting Director of National Intelligence, also head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
- President Donald Trump – Appointed Pulte and posted on Truth Social urging “immediate and needed downsizing.”
- Tulsi Gabbard – Former DNI who initiated prior cuts.
- Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) – Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, author of a warning letter.
- Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) – Top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
- Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) – Republican critic of Pulte’s qualifications.
- Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) – Republicans expressing support for streamlining ODNI.
- Larry Pfeiffer – Former CIA chief of staff, ODNI Day-1 staffer.
Data & Statistics
- 6 officials fired; 45 reassigned (total 51 positions) – sources 1, 2, 15.
- Gabbard’s 2025 cuts: ~500 staff (?30 %); target reduction to 1,300 employees (?40 % cut) – sources 4, 6, 15.
- Potential future cuts: up to two dozen additional firings (source 2); order to identify 400 NCTC employees for possible dismissal (source 9).
- Federal workforce reductions in 2025: 256,000 workers (11 % of total) – source 9.
Official Statements & Responses
President Trump’s Truth Social post directed Pulte to “execute the immediate and needed downsizing of the office.” Pulte’s X message praised the NCTC team as “true professionals and American patriots.” Senate Democrats Warner and Himes sent a joint letter urging Pulte to refrain from large-scale cuts without congressional consultation. Republican leaders Cotton and Thune argued that many ODNI employees belong to other agencies and could be more effective there, while also calling for greater visibility into any restructuring.
Criticism & Opposition
Democratic officials warned that mass reductions could jeopardize the ODNI’s mission to coordinate the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies and protect against terrorist threats. Warner labeled Pulte a “national security threat” and introduced legislation to bar presidents from installing acting directors. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis dismissed Pulte as an “incompetent sycophant” and likened the anticipated outcome to a “hot, steaming pile of Doge shit.” Former CIA chief of staff Larry Pfeiffer called the rapid firings “incredibly reckless and dangerous.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the scale of forthcoming cuts: one indicates up to two dozen additional dismissals, another cites an order to identify 400 NCTC employees for removal, while ODNI officials claim no further layoffs are planned for now. The agency has not responded to media inquiries, leaving the timeline and criteria for future reductions unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Today, I spent time with the National Counterterrorism Center team, who is doing an incredible job protecting our Country under President Trump’s leadership. The room was filled with true professionals and American patriots. It is a privilege to work beside them.” — Bill Pulte, Acting DNI
- “We are concerned by reports that you intend to fire or place on leave hundreds of Office of the Director of National Intelligence officers as soon as this week.” — Sen. Mark Warner, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair
- “If he just starts willy-nilly firing people, it is going to increase the probability that there is a terrorist attack inside the United States.” — Rep. Jim Himes, House Intelligence Committee
- “The deep state firings have begun,” — Unnamed source familiar with the matter
- “My guess is based on his past experience, it’s going to be another hot, steaming pile of Doge shit,” — Sen. Thom Tillis, Republican
What’s Next
Warner’s legislation would require a Senate-confirmed official to serve as acting DNI, limiting future appointments like Pulte’s. President Trump later announced, then withdrew, a nomination of U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for permanent DNI. The expiration of Section 702 on June 12, amid Democratic opposition tied to Pulte’s actions, adds further pressure on Congress to define the ODNI’s size and authority. Continued monitoring of potential NCTC reductions will shape the agency’s ability to deliver the President’s Daily Brief and coordinate inter-agency intelligence.
