President Donald Trump said he has privately directed acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to begin firing employees at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, calling the agency “unnecessary and/or too big.”
Trump Orders Pulte To Begin Firings
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Friday, Trump said he wants Pulte to “start the process” of cuts, targeting holdovers from the Biden and Obama administrations.
The U.S. President cited Pulte’s acting status as an advantage, noting it requires no Senate confirmation and allows him to serve up to 210 days. “You’re less shackled,” Trump said.
A Loyalist With No Intelligence
Trump caught many of his advisers off guard when he selected Pulte to replace Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month. Pulte previously led the Federal Housing Finance Agency and oversaw government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, created by Congress.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) warned, “We don’t need a weaponized DNI.”
Known as “Little Trump,” the newly appointed director previously alleged mortgage fraud by Trump opponents including Sen. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) and Fed Governor Lisa Cook. None were charged. Cook, whom Trump moved to fire as Fed governor, had a legal challenge pending before the Supreme Court.
In the interview, Trump said he is interviewing two permanent DNI candidates but declined to name them. “Bill is not going to be there that long,” he said.
Photo Courtesy: IMAGN
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