Tulsi Gabbard CUTS Deep – 700 Positions Gone!

Woman in blue blazer holding a microphone.

With the stroke of a pen, Tulsi Gabbard’s plan to slash the ODNI workforce by over 40% signals the largest rollback of intelligence bureaucracy in American history—a move cheered by those who demand an end to partisan overreach and government waste.

Story Snapshot

Tulsi Gabbard will cut over 700 ODNI positions—more than 40% of staff—by September 2025, shuttering offices accused of partisanship and consolidating key functions.
The Trump administration fully backs this downsizing, framing it as a victory against entrenched bureaucracy and a promise kept to voters demanding a leaner, less politicized government.
This reorganization is projected to save taxpayers $700 million each year and marks the most significant restructuring since ODNI’s founding after 9/11.
Experts and lawmakers are split: supporters tout efficiency and savings, opponents warn of risks to intelligence coordination and national security.

Gabbard’s ODNI Overhaul Targets Bureaucratic Bloat and Partisan Activity

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is enacting a sweeping reorganization of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, reducing its staff from roughly 2,000 in February 2025 to a planned 1,300 by September’s end. Gabbard’s plan, announced August 20, will shutter at least three offices flagged for redundancy or partisanship and consolidate several more, in a move directly aligned with President Trump’s pledge to drain the swamp and restore accountability in Washington. The explicit targeting of “politicized” offices reflects a broader push to restore integrity to intelligence operations and remove entrenched deep state influence.

The ODNI was established in 2004 to coordinate U.S. intelligence agencies, but persistent criticism of bureaucratic expansion and inefficiency grew, particularly under prior administrations. Gabbard’s appointment and the rapid staff reductions reflect the Trump administration’s belief that the agency has strayed from its core mission. With the White House, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio all briefed and supportive, Gabbard is empowered to act decisively, even as some in Congress express concern about oversight and continuity.

Major Cost Savings and Office Closures Signal a New Direction

The reorganization is projected to save $700 million annually by closing redundant offices like the External Research Council and the Strategic Futures Group, and merging the National Intelligence University with the Pentagon’s National Defense University. Specialized centers—such as the Foreign Malign Influence Center and the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center—will be folded into the National Intelligence Council. Supporters argue these moves will streamline intelligence functions, reduce overlap, and allow ODNI to focus on core threats to national security.

For taxpayers, the savings are significant at a time when federal overspending and inflation remain top concerns. The Trump administration has prioritized efficiency, cost-cutting, and the elimination of leftist programs across government. Critics, including some intelligence experts and lawmakers, warn that rapid downsizing could create gaps in coordination and increase the risk of intelligence failures. However, advocates counter that true national security depends on effective, not bloated, oversight free from partisan influence.

Impact on Intelligence Community and Broader Federal Reform

The staff reductions have already begun, with affected employees receiving 60-day notices and the target of 1,300 staff firmly set for September 30. The changes will not only affect ODNI workers—some facing layoffs—but also ripple through the broader intelligence community, which must adapt to a new, more streamlined coordination structure. This unprecedented downsizing may serve as a blueprint for further reforms across federal agencies, emboldening efforts to reduce government size and restore constitutional principles of limited power.

🚨NEW: Tulsi Gabbard to downsize ODNI's workforce by 40%, eliminate 'politicized' offices #MAGA https://t.co/B8LNCUYB6S

— Sam Smith – Army Ranger Vet (@beachbattranger) August 20, 2025

Industry experts are divided. Some warn of potential risks to intelligence integration, while others say the shake-up is long overdue. Past attempts to reform intelligence bureaucracy have seen mixed results, often hampered by resistance from entrenched interests. Still, the Trump administration’s resolve and Gabbard’s mandate suggest this reorganization will proceed, setting a new standard for accountability and efficiency in government. With $700 million in annual savings and a message that partisanship will no longer be tolerated, many conservatives see this as a much-needed victory for common sense and constitutional governance.