Acting DNI Announces Significant Staff Cuts Ahead of Nominee Vote

WHO:

Fox News - Acting Director of National Intelligence William Pulte announced staff cuts.

Federal News Network - Bill Pulte is the acting Director of National Intelligence and also serves as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Federal News Network - Jay Clayton is the nominee selected by Trump to lead DNI on a permanent basis and is currently the U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York.

Federal News Network - Tulsi Gabbard was the previous Director of National Intelligence before Pulte.

WHAT:

Fox News - Pulte announced "a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS."

Federal News Network - The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has shed hundreds of staff over the past 18 months under the Trump administration.

Federal News Network - 200 ODNI employees had been laid off or reassigned since June 1.

Federal News Network - ODNI now has “little more than half” of the 2,000 employees that worked in the office at the start of the Trump administration.

WHERE:

Federal News Network - The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is located in the United States.

WHEN:

Federal News Network - Pulte was appointed as acting Director of National Intelligence last month.

Federal News Network - The Senate is preparing to vote on Clayton's nomination.

WHY:

Federal News Network - The cuts are part of a strategy to refocus ODNI on national security and reduce bureaucratic functions.

Federal News Network - Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Tom Cotton has proposed capping the office at 650 full-time staff to eliminate bureaucratic work.

HOW:

Federal News Network - Pulte stated that the team has been "smartly, and carefully, reducing the size of ODNI."

Federal News Network - During his confirmation hearing, Clayton expressed the need for ODNI to have an oversight role rather than operational roles.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 19:30 UTC)

Acting Director of National Intelligence William Pulte has announced a fifth and near-final round of staff cuts, revealing that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has reduced its workforce to just over half of its original 2,000 employees since the start of the Trump administration. Pulte, who was appointed last month, stated that these cuts are part of a strategy to refocus the office on national security and streamline bureaucratic functions, while the Senate prepares to vote on Trump's nominee, Jay Clayton, who currently serves as the U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York. In his confirmation hearing, Clayton emphasized the need for ODNI to focus on oversight rather than operational roles, aligning with the ongoing efforts to reshape the office's mission.