Personnel changes are underway at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence after Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte began reviewing staffing levels just days after assuming the role, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.
According to a source cited by CNN, job cuts at the ODNI began Monday as the Trump administration moves forward with plans to reduce the size of portions of the federal intelligence apparatus.
The source told the network, “The deep state firings have begun,” but declined to provide details regarding the number of employees affected.
CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes reported on X that firings had started at the intelligence office and cited a source familiar with the matter.
Firings at the Office of the Director of National intelligence started today, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
“The deep state firings have begun,” the source said, declining to give details on how many jobs had been cut.— Kristen Holmes (@KristenhCNN) June 22, 2026
The personnel reductions come after President Donald Trump signaled his desire to streamline federal intelligence agencies and reduce bureaucracy within the intelligence community.
While the total number of positions affected remains unclear, the reported cuts represent one of the first major actions taken by Pulte since assuming leadership of the agency.
Pulte, who previously served as a federal housing regulator, reportedly arrived at the ODNI headquarters a day before officially taking over the position.
According to CNN, he requested a list of all employees as part of a review process aimed at determining potential staffing changes.
The report also indicated that Pulte met with attorneys on Thursday evening ahead of formally beginning his duties as Acting Director of National Intelligence on Friday.
The personnel moves come during a transition period within the intelligence community.
Earlier this month, President Trump announced the nomination of Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, to become the next Director of National Intelligence.
However, Clayton’s confirmation process has been delayed. Trump opted to postpone the nomination vote until the Senate confirms a replacement for Clayton’s current position as U.S. attorney.
As a result, Pulte is expected to continue serving as acting director while the confirmation process unfolds.
The delay gives Pulte additional time to oversee operations at the ODNI and implement administrative changes before a permanent director is confirmed by the Senate.
Pulte’s appointment as acting director also became the subject of a legislative battle on Capitol Hill earlier this month.
Sen. Mark Warner introduced an amendment that would have prevented a Senate-confirmed leader of another federal department from simultaneously serving as Acting Director of National Intelligence.
The proposal received support from all Senate Democrats and three Republican senators. Sens. Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski voted in favor of the amendment.
Despite that support, the measure failed on a 49-49 vote, allowing Pulte to remain eligible to serve as Acting Director of National Intelligence.
The ODNI was created following the September 11 terrorist attacks to coordinate the activities of America’s intelligence agencies and provide intelligence assessments to policymakers.
The office oversees coordination among numerous intelligence organizations and plays a central role in national security decision-making.
As staffing changes continue, attention is expected to remain focused on the scope of the personnel reductions and how they may affect operations across the intelligence community while the Senate considers Clayton’s nomination.
