In early June, after Donald Trump announced that Bill Pulte, his highly controversial director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, would serve as the acting director of national intelligence, it sent shock waves through political and intelligence circles. When the president was asked what exactly Pulte would do in the position he was so obviously unqualified to fill, he made matters worse, telling reporters he expected the loyalist to “find out some things about the rigged elections.”
But that’s not all Trump said. A few days later, the president went on to tell The Wall Street Journal that he wanted Pulte to fire many intelligence officials too. Politico reported soon after that Pulte had already directed staffers at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to pull together a list of people who could be fired, before his tenure even began.
Two weeks after Pulte started his gig as acting DNI, MS NOW reported that dozens of intelligence officials received termination notices, with one intelligence official telling the network that Team Trump removed individuals “who they believe are deep state.”
In fact, the acting DNI announced over the weekend that he had just completed a fourth round of layoffs since taking the reins from Tulsi Gabbard roughly five weeks ago. (Pulte posted online about the developments, concluding, “Thank you!” It was not clear whom he was thanking.)
As for just how many intelligence officials have been ousted, The Washington Post reported late last week:
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has shrunk more than is publicly known in recent weeks, losing about 200 personnel to firings and reassignments since June 1, according to data the Trump administration shared with Congress this week. […]
The ODNI had about 2,000 employees at the start of Trump’s second term. It is now little more than half that size, according to congressional aides.
The Post’s report, which has not been independently verified by MS NOW, was published before Pulte announced a fourth round of layoffs, so it stands to reason the new total of affected personnel is well above 200, though neither the White House nor the ODNI has commented on the record about the specifics.
As for Jay Clayton, the president’s choice to serve as DNI on a permanent basis, the Senate Intelligence Committee advanced his nomination last week on a party-line vote. Clayton is expected to be formally confirmed this week, at which point he’ll take over a depleted office with low morale and an uncertain future. Watch this space.
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