Top intelligence agency begins mass firings under new Trump appointee, source says

Key Points:

• Bill Pulte, newly appointed acting director of national intelligence by President Trump, has begun dismissing staff members at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), including potentially firing 400 employees at the National Counterterrorism Center.
• Pulte, who lacks national security experience and previously led the Federal Housing Finance Agency, was instructed by Trump to downsize the office and revert staff to their home agencies.
• The planned cuts have raised concerns among former intelligence officials and top Democrats in Congress, who warn that reducing staff at the counterterrorism center could impair the government's ability to detect and prevent terrorist threats.
• Congressional Democrats have criticized the firings as inappropriate for an acting director and have urged Pulte to consult with Congress before making significant structural changes, especially given the ODNI's substantial downsizing earlier in 2025.
• Trump initially nominated Jay Clayton to permanently replace Pulte but delayed the nomination process, requesting Senate Republicans hold off until a replacement for Clayton's current U.S. attorney position is confirmed.