Gabbard Slashes Intelligence Office Workforce, Cuts $700M Budget/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced sweeping cuts to her agency, slashing its workforce by more than 40% and reducing its annual budget by over $700 million. The move eliminates parts of the Foreign Malign Influence Center and merges functions into other offices. Republicans praised the cuts, while Democrats warned they could weaken U.S. security.
Intelligence Cuts Quick Looks
- ODNI to reduce staff by 40%, cut $700M budget.
- Gabbard cites “bloated” system, leaks, and politicization of intelligence.
- Foreign Malign Influence Center targeted for shutdown.
- Trump administration previously cut FBI, CISA, and State Dept. programs.
- Move aligns with Trump’s broader government downsizing strategy.
- Republicans support cuts, Democrats raise national security concerns.
- Gabbard accuses past administrations of using intelligence to censor speech.
- Security clearances revoked for dozens of officials earlier this week.
- Effort reflects long-running tensions over Russian election interference assessments.
- Critics argue Gabbard’s restructuring could leave U.S. vulnerable to foreign threats.
Deep Look: Gabbard Slashes ODNI Workforce and Budget Amid Controversy
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), long tasked with coordinating the nation’s sprawling network of 18 intelligence agencies, will face one of its most dramatic overhauls since its founding. On Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced a 40% workforce reduction and an annual budget cut of more than $700 million.
The sweeping downsizing marks the latest step in President Donald Trump’s administration’s push to reshape federal agencies, reduce costs, and challenge long-standing intelligence assessments — particularly those involving Russian election interference.
Gabbard Targets “Weaponized Intelligence”
In announcing the cuts, Gabbard said the agency had become “bloated and inefficient” since its creation two decades ago.
“Ending the weaponization of intelligence and holding bad actors accountable are essential to begin to earn the American people’s trust,” she declared.
She cited chronic leaks, politicization of intelligence, and abuse of power as reasons for the restructuring. Her plan includes dismantling or merging several offices, most notably the Foreign Malign Influence Center (FMIC), which was established in 2022 to monitor and counter foreign election interference.
Election Influence Division Dismantled
The FMIC, created during the Biden administration, had coordinated intelligence about Russian, Chinese, and Iranian disinformation campaigns aimed at U.S. voters. It was credited with exposing foreign propaganda efforts, including a fake Russian video depicting the destruction of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania during the 2024 election.
Gabbard dismissed the center as redundant, claiming it was weaponized to “suppress free speech and censor political opposition.” She announced that its core responsibilities would be folded into other agencies, effectively ending its independent role years before its planned 2028 expiration.
Critics, however, warn the move could undermine election security.
“It wasn’t redundant. It was supposed to solve for redundancy,” said Emerson Brooking, a fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab.
Partisan Reactions on Capitol Hill
Reaction in Congress quickly split along party lines.
- Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, hailed the move as a “return to ODNI’s original mission” and praised it as a way to “make the office stronger and more effective for President Trump.”
- Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the panel’s top Democrat, voiced skepticism. He vowed “rigorous oversight” and warned the cuts could weaken national security, citing Gabbard’s “track record of politicizing intelligence.”
A Broader Restructuring of Security Agencies
The ODNI shakeup comes as part of a larger Trump administration trend to dismantle election security operations and overhaul intelligence oversight:
- In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi disbanded an FBI task force focused on foreign election influence.
- The administration cut back funding for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which oversees critical infrastructure including elections.
- In April, the State Department shut down its office dedicated to countering foreign disinformation campaigns.
These moves reflect Trump’s longstanding tension with U.S. intelligence agencies over their findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit him.
Political Context and Gabbard’s Role
The announcement comes as the Trump administration has also revoked security clearances for dozens of officials, part of an ongoing purge of figures perceived as disloyal.
Gabbard herself has had a turbulent relationship with Trump. Earlier this year, she reportedly clashed with the president over assessments of Iran’s nuclear program. Yet her recent efforts — including aggressive cuts at ODNI — have re-established her as a key loyalist.
What’s Next for U.S. Intelligence?
Supporters argue that downsizing ODNI will streamline intelligence gathering, cut costs, and reduce bureaucratic overlap. Critics warn the U.S. risks being less prepared to counter foreign election interference and emerging cyber threats.
For now, the $700 million in cuts represent one of the largest single reductions to an intelligence agency in U.S. history — a symbolic and practical shift in how the Trump administration views intelligence oversight.
Whether these reforms strengthen the intelligence community’s focus or leave dangerous blind spots remains a pressing debate in Washington.
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