Trump Tasks New Intelligence Chief with Sweeping Staff Reductions
Washington, Saturday, 6 June 2026.
President Trump ordered acting intelligence chief Bill Pulte to execute severe staff cuts. This temporary appointment of an inexperienced loyalist signals a major shift in federal security operations.
Transitioning from Housing to Intelligence
As previously reported, President Donald Trump made the unexpected decision earlier this week to appoint housing official William Pulte as the acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI), placing a finance executive with no traditional national security background at the helm of the United States intelligence community [1][2][3]. Pulte steps into the role following the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard in May 2026 [4]. However, new developments reveal the strategic intent behind this controversial appointment: executing deep personnel cuts and uncovering information related to the 2020 presidential election [2].
Mandating Reductions Across the Intelligence Community
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, June 5, 2026, during a trip to Wisconsin, President Trump explicitly stated his desire for Pulte to downsize the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), an agency responsible for overseeing 18 distinct intelligence bodies [2][3]. The president characterized current staffing levels as being “way too high for way too long” and noted that he “wouldn’t mind” if Pulte initiated significant reductions [2][3]. Specifically, Trump suggested that Pulte prioritize the dismissal of personnel who served during the administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden [2][3].
Election Investigations and Ongoing Controversies
Beyond organizational restructuring, President Trump has tasked Pulte with a highly politicized mandate: releasing information regarding the 2020 presidential election [2]. Trump, who continues to falsely assert that the 2020 election was stolen from him, told reporters on Thursday that the public “may find out some things about the rigged elections” during Pulte’s tenure [2][5]. When pressed on what specific intelligence he expects Pulte to declassify or release, the president stated that the acting director should “look at everything and make a determination” [2].