A Trump Dramatic Shake-Up of US Intelligence
The Trump government has unveiled drastic reductions in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), cutting its budget by over $700 million annually and demanding a drastic reduction of personnel. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard presented the move as a long-awaited adjustment, labeling the agency as “bloated and inefficient” following twenty years of unbridled expansion.
“The intelligence community must make serious changes to fulfil its responsibility to the American people,” Gabbard said. She stressed that ODNI’s focus should return to its core mission: providing accurate and timely intelligence to policymakers, free from bias or political manipulation.
The cuts mark one of the most significant shake-ups in the intelligence community since the office was created in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.
Recasting Priorities Amid Political Tensions
The reorganization takes place in the face of politically charged tensions. President Trump has long pushed back on the intelligence community’s conclusions about Russian meddling in the 2016 election, repeatedly battling agencies that looked into the matter.
In the spring, Attorney General Pam Bondi disestablished an FBI task force that focused on investigating foreign influence campaigns, and the administration made deep cuts in the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which is responsible for election security.
Gabbard’s action to reduce ODNI fits into Trump’s wider cost-cutting agenda, which started in the early part of his term under the Department of Government Efficiency an agency dubbed “Doge” and previously headed by Elon Musk.
The upheaval also highlights Gabbard’s comeback to Trump’s inner circle after facing tension. A few months ago, she enraged the president with her evaluations of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But in the last few weeks, she has emerged as a trusted ally again, facing down security clearances for 37 current and former officials at Trump’s behest and releasing documents raising questions about the intelligence community’s previous conclusions on Russia.
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Foreign Influence and Election Security on the Line
Critics fear the new rules may undermine America’s defenses against foreign disinformation efforts, particularly as the 2028 election cycle intensifies. The ODNI has already worked with federal agencies to counter online misinformation campaigns, such as a Russian-produced video deceptively depicting mail-in ballots being shredded in Pennsylvania before the 2024 election.
One of the most significant changes will occur with the Foreign Malign Influence Center, which ODNI has termed its front line against foreign hostile forces eroding democracy. Gabbard signaled the center will face a dramatic shift, contending it was “used by the last administration to justify silencing free speech and censoring political dissent.”
Just how its mission will shift is not yet certain, but Gabbard highlighted a more focused emphasis on election-oriented work.
