Donald Trump urges acting DNI Bill Pulte to fire intelligence officials

President Donald Trump told the Wall Street Journal that he wants incoming acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to begin removing personnel from the U.S. intelligence community. Trump said the office is "unnecessary or too big" and that "a lot of people shouldn't be there," referring to officials appointed under the Biden and Obama administrations.

The president said he has privately conveyed this view to Pulte, who was recently tapped from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, but he does not plan to formally nominate him. Senate Democrats have objected to Pulte’s lack of national‑security experience and warned that his appointment could jeopardise the renewal of a key surveillance program. The request follows earlier efforts under former acting DNI Tulsi Gabbard to cut the agency’s workforce and budget.