President Donald Trump said he expects acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to downsize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), describing the agency as “too big” and suggesting it could eventually be eliminated. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump expressed support for Pulte’s role in reducing the federal intelligence footprint, a move that aligns with the president’s broader push to shrink government agencies.
“I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” Trump told the outlet, referring to the ODNI. The president’s comments come amid controversy over his appointment of Pulte, who also serves as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Pulte has used his position to refer mortgage fraud cases against Trump’s political opponents, raising concerns among lawmakers about potential conflicts of interest.
Trump confirmed that Pulte will not serve as DNI permanently, indicating he does not plan to nominate him for Senate confirmation. Several Republican lawmakers have voiced opposition to Pulte’s tenure, citing his dual roles and lack of intelligence experience. However, Trump argued that serving in an acting capacity gives Pulte more latitude to make changes. “You’re less shackled,” the president said. “It sort of gives you more power, you know, for a somewhat limited period of time.”
By law, acting directors can serve for up to 210 days without Senate confirmation. Trump suggested that Pulte could use that window to “shake things up” before a permanent nominee takes over. “Frankly, it might be good for him to shake it up before people come,” Trump said. “Because, if he reduced the size, in conjunction with me…and in conjunction with possibly the person coming in…he can do a lot of the hard work.”
The president drew a parallel between the ODNI and the Department of Education, an agency he has long sought to dismantle. “We’ve made the Department of Education much smaller, and likewise, this should be much smaller,” Trump said, adding, “And this should maybe even be terminated, and we’ll make that decision.” The ODNI oversees 18 intelligence agencies, including the CIA, but it remains unclear how much authority Pulte has to conduct layoffs across those organizations.
Pulte’s predecessor, Tulsi Gabbard, had proposed cutting 40 percent of the ODNI’s staff and restructuring several offices, including those monitoring foreign influence operations. Trump said he hopes Pulte will follow Gabbard’s lead by declassifying more information related to the 2020 election. “I would say everything—he should look at everything and make a determination,” Trump stated.
The president’s push to shrink the intelligence community comes amid broader efforts to reduce the size of the federal government. In a related development, a federal judge recently struck down Trump’s immigration freeze on 39 nations, highlighting ongoing legal battles over executive authority. Meanwhile, markets have slid on inflation fears, with Trump defending jobs data as the economy faces headwinds.
Critics argue that Pulte’s dual role and lack of intelligence experience could undermine national security. But Trump dismissed those concerns, framing the acting appointment as a temporary measure to streamline operations. “He can do a lot of the hard work and we wouldn’t have to saddle somebody that goes in,” Trump said, suggesting that Pulte’s tenure could pave the way for a more efficient intelligence apparatus.
