Former CIA Analyst Julia Curlee Says White House Dismissal Undermined U.S. Intelligence

Julia Curlee, the first openly transgender officer to serve continuously at the Central Intelligence Agency, was removed from her National Security Council (NSC) position in the early weeks of President Donald Trump’s second term. According to Curlee, the decision came from the White House chief of staff and was executed on a Saturday, with a request that she report back two days later to finish budget work before leaving permanently. The termination was framed by the administration as an exercise of presidential authority.

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Curlee spent nearly two decades in the intelligence community, including senior analytical roles at the CIA and daily briefings for Vice President Mike Pence during the first Trump term. She transitioned openly while serving, continued to brief senior officials, and later authored an essay for *The Atlantic* under the pseudonym “Jenny Hall,” encouraging LGBTQ youth to consider CIA careers.

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Kelly’s comment was offered in response to Curlee’s public criticism of her firing.

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• “Laura Loomer doesn’t work in the White House. She doesn’t sit in the Sit Room,” — Julia Curlee, white house official

Ousted transgender CIA officer warns of ‘palpable fear’ at security agencies

• “The White House had needed me. Trump officials had known I was trans from day one. This hadn’t been an issue until it was public—and then nothing else I’d done mattered,” — Julia Curlee, white house official

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• “I’m a transgender CIA officer, a wife and mother—and I served the Vice President. Anything is possible in America.” — Mike Pence, former vice president

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Curlee says the firing sent a signal that loyalty to the president’s political base can outweigh professional expertise. She reports that hundreds of intelligence professionals have left the service out of fear that “speaking truth to power” could lead to dismissal. The departure of seasoned analysts, she argues, weakens the United States’ ability to produce accurate, timely intelligence and to coordinate responses across the Department of State, Defense, and the CIA.

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Since publishing her essay, Curlee has fielded numerous messages from former colleagues who share similar concerns. She continues to speak publicly about the episode, aiming to highlight the risks of allowing political considerations to dictate intelligence staffing and to advocate for reforms that protect the independence of the intelligence apparatus.

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