ODNI Workforce Reduction Announced
In a recent statement, National Intelligence Director Tarshi Gabbard revealed plans to reduce her agency’s workforce by as much as 40% in the next few weeks. The aim is to shut down several offices that have been accused of “politicizing” crucial information distribution.
When Gabbard took office, there were over 1,800 employees at the National Intelligence Director’s office. However, she decided to retain only around 1,300. Notably, at least three offices identified as redundant are set to close.
The offices in question—the “core features” (FMIC), the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center, and the Cyber Threat Intelligence Center—provide functions that are already encompassed by other departments such as the Mission Integration Office or the National Intelligence Council.
“ODNI has become bloated and inefficient over the last 20 years, and the intellectual community has been marred by power abuses, unauthorized leaks of classified information, and the political exploitation of intelligence,” Gabbard stated.
The FMIC is staffed by some of the most skilled intelligence analysts responsible for supervising more than a dozen agents.
ODNI officials claimed in a briefing that the FMIC has negatively impacted American civil liberties, especially during the Biden administration, noting its role in Big Tech’s October 2020 decision to censor certain types of speech, like the controversy surrounding Hunter Biden.
One source drew a parallel between this office and the State Department’s Global Engagement Centre, which Secretary Marco Rubio shut down in April due to similar allegations regarding freedom of speech infringement.
The other two offices targeted for closure focused on monitoring threats—from weapons of mass destruction to cyberattacks—and their responsibilities will be transferred to existing agencies.
Additionally, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses agreed to integrate the National Intelligence Journal University into the National Defense College for all related programs and courses.
Officials project that this overhaul, dubbed “ODNI 2.0,” could save U.S. taxpayers up to $700 million.
Gabbard has accused former DNI James Clapper and some of his aides of misusing intelligence resources.
During her announcement, Gabbard addressed her workforce, emphasizing that “ODNI has become bloated and inefficient,” with a notable presence of power abuse and leaks. She expressed the necessity for the ODNI and Intelligence Community to undergo significant changes. “We need to concentrate on our core mission,” she stated. “It’s our duty to deliver truthful, objective, and timely intelligence to both the president and policymakers.”
Furthermore, she stated, “Ending the exploitation of intelligence and ensuring accountability for wrongdoers is crucial to rebuilding the trust of Americans, which has been eroded for far too long.”
