Pulte Announces Fourth Round of Layoffs at ODNI

William Pulte, the Acting Director of National Intelligence, announced on Sunday the completion of a fourth batch of layoffs in his office. He stated the focus has been on realigning the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to prioritize national security, legal, and statutory responsibilities.

Pulte shared in a post on X, “Since becoming Acting Director of National Intelligence, our team has been smartly, and carefully, reducing the size of [the Office of the Director of National Intelligence], re-focusing ODNI on national security, the law, and the statute.” He confirmed that a fourth round of layoffs had been completed, expressing gratitude for the progress.

President Donald Trump had earlier given the green light to Pulte to begin the process of reducing the workforce in the intelligence community. During an event in Washington, D.C., Pulte had previously mentioned the increased efficiency of U.S. National Intelligence.

In July, he wrote, “U.S. National Intelligence is operating more efficiently and effectively than ever before, and today, we started a third round of reducing redundant, or non-critical, personnel. DNI’s future is exceptionally bright, and will be focused on following the law and the statute.”

Pulte has been serving as the acting DNI after being chosen by President Trump. He also holds the role of director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Former DNI Tulsi Gabbard left the position the previous month due to personal reasons, including her husband’s medical concerns.

Before Pulte’s appointment, the Wall Street Journal reported Trump’s comments on ODNI’s excessive size. Trump expressed his intentions to scale down its operations and indicated that Pulte should initiate this effort. He pointed out the presence of many personnel from previous administrations, which he considered unnecessary.

Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has been nominated by Trump for the role of Director of National Intelligence.

Pulte expressed his appreciation for President Trump’s support, stating in a personal post on X, “So deeply grateful to POTUS for letting me be acting Director of National Intelligence…While it’s been only a few weeks, so much has already been accomplished —Operationally, AND, Transparency. Thank you, POTUS.”

Alex Nitzberg, a writer for Fox News Digital, contributed to this report.