New DNI Chief Reshapes Leadership, Dismisses Key Officials

WHO:

CNN - Bill Pulte is the acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

CNN - Tulsi Gabbard is the former Director of National Intelligence.

Roll Call - Mark Warner is the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Roll Call - Jim Himes is the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

Roll Call - Tom Cotton is the Senate Intelligence Chairman.

Roll Call - John Thune is the Senate Majority Leader.

Roll Call - Thom Tillis is a Republican Senator from North Carolina.

WHAT:

CNN - Pulte has fired six political appointees and removed 45 career intelligence officials from their roles.

CNN - The National Counterterrorism Center was not impacted by the cuts.

CNN - Pulte stated he spent time with the National Counterterrorism Center team, praising their work under Trump’s leadership.

Roll Call - Pulte began firing intelligence officials and staff at the DNI en masse shortly after starting his job.

Roll Call - Warner introduced legislation to bar presidents from installing acting directors without Senate confirmation.

Roll Call - The authority for Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expired on June 12.

WHERE:

CNN - The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is the agency involved in the firings.

Roll Call - The Senate and House Intelligence Committees are involved in the legislative response.

WHEN:

Roll Call - Pulte began his role as acting DNI on a Friday, following weeks of criticism over his appointment.

Roll Call - A confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton, Trump’s permanent pick for DNI, was scheduled for June 17 but he was directed not to appear.

WHY:

CNN - The removals are part of Pulte’s mandate to make drastic reductions at the ODNI.

Roll Call - Concerns were raised about Pulte's lack of intelligence experience and the appropriateness of his actions as an acting official.

HOW:

CNN - Pulte has been consulting career intelligence officials on the cuts.

Roll Call - Warner and Himes expressed their expectation that Pulte would refrain from significant actions while serving as acting DNI.

(UPDATED June 24, 2026 06:25 UTC)

Bill Pulte, the acting Director of National Intelligence, has made significant changes by firing six political appointees and removing 45 career intelligence officials from their positions, although the National Counterterrorism Center remains unaffected. In response to these actions, Senator Mark Warner has introduced legislation aimed at preventing presidents from appointing acting directors without Senate confirmation. Concerns have been raised regarding Pulte's lack of intelligence experience and the appropriateness of his decisions, especially as he began these firings shortly after taking on the role.