David Pulte, the new acting Director of National Intelligence and an ally of President Trump, is reportedly planning significant staff reductions at the ODNI. His appointment has stalled bipartisan efforts to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The planned staff cuts and Pulte's inexperience could jeopardize the reauthorization of Section 702 of FISA, a critical intelligence-gathering tool, and signal a significant shift in the leadership and operations of the U.S. intelligence community.
David Pulte, a Trump ally with no prior national security or intelligence experience, has begun his tenure as acting Director of National Intelligence by seeking significant staff cuts at the agency. His appointment has frozen bipartisan efforts to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, as Democrats have stated they will not vote for its renewal with Pulte at the helm. Pulte and Trump are reportedly determined to enact major changes at the ODNI. The agency's ranks have already shrunk since Trump's return to the White House. In August 2025, former Director Tulsi Gabbard announced plans to slash 40 percent of the agency’s staff, a move she stated would save more than $700 million annually. However, Trump has indicated a desire for even steeper cuts. In an early June interview with The Wall Street Journal, he expressed his wish for Pulte to fire "a lot of people," suggesting that leading the office in an acting capacity would empower Pulte to implement changes more swiftly. CNN reported that Pulte requested a list of ODNI staff on Thursday as he eyes major job cuts. A source familiar with Pulte's thinking stated he is angered by potential leaks and intends to dismiss individuals who worked closely with Gabbard, whom he blames for these leaks. The same source indicated that Pulte discussed firing Gabbard holdovers with Clayton, who did not object.
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