Trump intends to reduce workforce by thousands at intelligence agencies
Rebooting the Spy Game
The Trump regime is shaking up the intelligence community, with the intention of slashing the workforce at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other U.S. intelligence agencies, according to anonymous sources. The goal is to axe thousands of employees over several years, with the CIA taking the brunt of these cuts.
This culling spree seems to be more targeted than the administration's approach at other federal departments, with some agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development all but dismantled. lawmakers have been briefed that the CIA could see a drop of around 1,000 to 1,200 employees. Keep in mind that the CIA does not release employee numbers, but back in 2013, leaked documents showed a workforce of over 21,000.
The Washington Post was the first to break the news of these planned personnel cuts. Despite the silence from the CIA, a spokesperson did confirm that Director John Ratcliffe "is moving swiftly to ensure the CIA workforce is in line with the Administration's national security priorities." The cuts are said to breath new life into the agency by fostering opportunities for rising talents and repositioning the CIA to meet its mission more effectively.
Other intelligence agencies, not unlike the CIA and falling under the Defense Department's budget, are also looking to trim their civilian workforce by up to 8%.
These changes comes at a time when the world's trouble spots are more volatile than ever. Rising military might from China, Russian sabotage campaigns in Europe and a war in Ukraine, Iran's nuclear ambitions, and countless other threats mean the pressure on the intelligence community is at an all-time high.
At a recent White House meeting, the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, admitted that her office had been scaled back by 25%. Gabbard had previously supported the idea of reducing the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
The Trump administration and Elon Musk's advisory Department of Government Efficiency are making a concerted effort to drastically reduce the federal workforce. Although the administration plans to avoid mass firings, they tried to oust dozens of employees at the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence because they were working on diversity programs. A legal challenge and a temporary injunction have stopped these dismissals for now, and the CIA offered buyouts to its employees in February.
In the ongoing restructuring by the Trump regime, it appears that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is planning to reduce its workforce by 1,000 to 1,200 employees as part of funding efforts for retirement and general-news priorities. This move is not isolated, as other intelligence agencies are also looking to cut their civilian workforce by up to 8%. These changes in the intelligence community, amidst intensifying global threats, have also prompted a 25% reduction in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
