Acting DNI touts 'approximately 30% Staff Reduction from Weeks Ago' as Senate poised to confirm Trump nominee

By Fox News · Fox News

Acting Director of National Intelligence William Pulte has announced a fifth wave of office downsizing. "Good News! In addition to the Historic DECLASSIFICATIONS (Transparency!) by the President, we are, this morning, Executing a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS, an approximately 30% Staff Reduction from Weeks Ago," he wrote in a Tuesday post on X. "The Intelligence Community must protect the American people, NOT the political whims of the bloated and corrupt elite class," he added. ACTING DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ANNOUNCES 4TH WAVE OF LAYOFFS Pulte on Sunday had announced the completion of a fourth batch of layoffs from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). "Since becoming Acting Director of National Intelligence, our team has been smartly, and carefully, reducing the size of ODNI, re-focusing ODNI on national security, the law, and the statute. As of this evening, we just finished a 4th round of thoughtful, measured layoffs. Thank you!" he declared in a Sunday night post on X. In a July 10 post, he had stated, "U.S. National Intelligence is operating more efficiently and effectively than ever before, and today, we started a third round of reducing redundant, or non-critical, personnel. DNI’s future is exceptionally bright, and will be focused on following the law and the statute." Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, took on the role of acting DNI last month as Tulsi Gabbard , who had been serving as DNI, departed the role due to her husband's cancer battle. TRUMP'S DNI PICK JAY CLAYTON LOCKS HORNS WITH DEMOCRATIC SENATOR IN FIERY CONFIRMATION HEARING CLASH Prior to when Pulte took the helm at ODNI last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that during an interview, President Donald Trump said he had informed Pulte that he thought the ODNI was "unnecessary and/or too big." "I'd like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there," the president said, pointing to…