Additional Coverage:
- Gabbard announces plan to reorganize her agency, cut staff by half (abcnews.go.com)
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced a major restructuring of her office on Wednesday, slashing nearly half its workforce and consolidating several intelligence centers under the banner of “ODNI 2.0.” This massive overhaul, touted as the most significant reform since the office’s inception after 9/11, aims to trim over $700 million from the annual budget while sharpening ODNI’s focus on its primary mission: integrating and overseeing the intelligence community.
Over two decades, ODNI’s staff ballooned to nearly 1,850 employees. Gabbard characterized the office as bloated and inefficient, with senior officials indicating that cuts will primarily affect redundant positions and functions.
Affected employees will be notified starting Wednesday, with positions officially eliminated on September 23. Vacancies will be left unfilled, and staff on loan to other agencies will return to their original offices.
In a letter to staff, Gabbard described ODNI 2.0 as a “leaner, faster, and more agile institution” focused on intelligence community integration, maintaining professional standards, and providing timely, objective intelligence to the president and policymakers.
Key changes include merging the Foreign Malign Influence Center, National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center, and Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center into ODNI’s Mission Integration directorate and the National Intelligence Council. The National Counterterrorism Center, under new director Joe Kent, will retain its core counterterrorism focus while expanding into counternarcotics, reflecting the administration’s emphasis on drug trafficking as a national security threat.
The National Intelligence University will move to the Defense Department’s National Defense University to better integrate intelligence training with defense priorities and reduce duplication. This shift aligns with what officials say is President Trump’s focus on government efficiency.
The National Intelligence Managers and National Intelligence Management Council will be absorbed into the National Intelligence Officer structure for streamlined oversight. Technology systems and contractor-heavy programs will also face cuts.
By eliminating redundancies in HR and analytic tools across the 18 intelligence community members, ODNI projects nearly $1 billion in annual savings.
President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and senior National Security Council officials were briefed on the reforms earlier this month. Gabbard emphasized that ODNI will remain the central hub for intelligence integration and oversight.
The reforms also prioritize investment in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced data tools. While a senior official noted some ODNI technology hasn’t been updated in 20 years, Gabbard stressed that AI would enhance – not replace – human analysts.
Other closures include the External Research Council and the Strategic Futures Group. Gabbard described the former as a source of partisan influence and the latter as pushing a “deep state” political agenda. ODNI’s Reston, Virginia campus will also close, consolidating operations at headquarters.
Gabbard framed the changes as both fiscally responsible and a cultural reset, stating, “Over the last 20 years, ODNI has become bloated and inefficient, and the intelligence community is rife with abuse of power, unauthorized leaks of classified intelligence, and politicized weaponization of intelligence.” She added that the reforms mark “the start of a new era focused on serving our country.”
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, expressed support for the reforms, while Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), the ranking Democrat, expressed reservations about Gabbard’s leadership while acknowledging the need for reform. He pledged rigorous oversight of the proposed changes.
Read More About This Story:
- Gabbard announces plan to reorganize her agency, cut staff by half (abcnews.go.com)