Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte reportedly arrived early for his new role and requested a full list of the office’s roughly 1,800 employees to evaluate potential firings.
President Donald Trump has directed Pulte to shrink the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), describing the agency as “unnecessary and/or too big” and urging further staff reductions after previous cuts under former DNI Tulsi Gabbard, per The Wall Street Journal.
Pulte assumed the acting DNI post on June 19, 2026, succeeding Gabbard, who resigned last month, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. He will continue serving as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) while overseeing the office that coordinates the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies.
Trump told The Wall Street Journal he wants Pulte to “start the process” of firing employees. “I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” Trump said, citing holdovers from prior administrations.
Pulte showed up a day early on Thursday and asked for the employee list to assess cuts, reported CNN. Staff had already been told to expect extensive reductions following Trump’s public comments.
Pulte’s Background and Prior Actions
Bill Pulte, 38, is a businessman with a background in housing and private equity. He founded Pulte Capital Partners LLC in 2011 and previously served on the board of PulteGroup, the homebuilding company started by his grandfather. Trump nominated him as FHFA director in early 2025; he was sworn in on March 14, 2025, and confirmed by the Senate.
At the FHFA, Pulte oversaw Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and implemented staff reductions. He fired executives, targeted certain units, including those involved in DEI initiatives and ethics, and announced layoffs, such as more than 100 employees at Fannie Mae and 62 in one round that included the COO, IT, and other divisions.
Pulte has no prior experience in intelligence or national security. His appointment drew criticism from Democrats and some Republicans who questioned his qualifications for the role.
Context of ODNI Reductions
The ODNI was created after the September 11, 2001, attacks to improve coordination among intelligence agencies. Under Gabbard, the office already underwent significant downsizing. It started Trump’s second term with roughly 1,800–2,000 employees. Gabbard cut approximately 40% of the workforce, eliminating around 500–700 positions and saving more than $700 million annually by reassigning or removing staff and closing certain centers.
Further cuts under Pulte would build on those reductions. The exact number of additional firings remains unclear, but reports indicate that hundreds of jobs are under review. Some employees have been labeled “excess to need” and encouraged to seek positions elsewhere, per Reuters.
It is not specified how many positions, if any, would be replaced with new hires. The focus, per Trump’s statements and prior ODNI actions, has been on reducing overall size, reverting staff to home agencies, and addressing what officials describe as bloat and inefficiency.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has long advocated downsizing the ODNI, stating that its staff should be measured in the dozens or hundreds rather than in the thousands, as reported by Federal News Network.
Democrats, including Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), have criticized the moves as an effort to politicize intelligence, Politico reported.
