CIA, NSA to face major layoffs as Trump pushes intelligence reform

The Trump administration is pushing ahead with sweeping personnel cuts across key US intelligence agencies, including the CIA and National Security Agency, according to The Washington Post. The planned reductions are part of a wider effort to reshape the federal intelligence workforce in line with President Donald Trump's national security and budgetary priorities.
The White House has informed lawmakers that approximately 1,200 positions at the CIA will be eliminated over several years, alongside thousands of jobs at other intelligence bodies, such as the NSA and the Defense Intelligence Agency. According to The Washington Post, the downsizing will largely be achieved through reduced hiring and voluntary early retirement schemes, avoiding mass layoffs. Around 500 CIA employees have already opted for early retirement.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who was appointed by Trump, said in a statement that the agency is aligning itself more closely with the administration’s strategic objectives. “These moves are part of a holistic strategy to infuse the Agency with renewed energy, provide opportunities for rising leaders to emerge, and better position CIA to deliver on its mission,” a CIA spokesperson said.
The NSA and other agencies involved in satellite surveillance and intelligence analysis will also see significant reductions. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), led by Tulsi Gabbard, is already 25% smaller since her appointment in February, she told a recent Cabinet meeting.
The changes come amid Ratcliffe’s promise to refocus CIA
The administration has also dismantled diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes across intelligence agencies. Although a federal judge has issued a temporary injunction halting the dismissal of 19 DEI staffers, many others have already departed. Gabbard’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
Critics argue that the cuts risk weakening US national security. Senator Mark Warner, a senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the reductions would “undoubtedly undermine our ability to detect and respond to threats.”
Security officials are also warning of potential counterintelligence risks, particularly from countries like China and Russia, which are believed to be targeting former US intelligence employees for recruitment. The National Counterintelligence and Security Center has urged laid-off staff to report suspicious approaches. Former CIA officer Kevin Mallory, who was convicted in 2018 for selling secrets to China, had been recruited under similar circumstances while in financial distress.