President Donald Trump said Friday he expects his newly installed acting Director of National Intelligence, Bill Pulte, to downsize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and remove employees he views as politically problematic, saying Pulte will operate “less shackled” than his predecessors.
Trump made the comments in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, calling ODNI “too big.”
“There are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” Trump said, according to the report. He offered no specific names or timeline for planned personnel cuts.
Pulte, who will remain in a separate government role while also serving as acting DNI, was tapped by Trump following Tulsi Gabbard’s departure from the post. Several Senate Republicans, including at least one from the GOP’s own leadership ranks, have publicly questioned his qualifications for the position.
The administration has not announced which divisions of ODNI would be targeted for reductions or what the expected scope of any restructuring would be.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created after the September 11 attacks to coordinate intelligence sharing across 18 federal agencies. It employs thousands of personnel in civilian and military capacities.
The Trump administration has repeatedly accused career intelligence officers of obstructing its policy agenda. Several senior officials were removed or resigned in the early months of the administration’s second term.
President Trump announced that Fannie Mae Chairman and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte will serve as the acting head of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
“I am appointing the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, William J. Pulte, to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence,” he wrote on Truth Social. “William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets, and over 10 Trillion Dollars at Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, a substantial increase from where it was just 12 months ago. During this period, he will remain Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Chairman of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Congratulations to Director Pulte!”
