WASHINGTON — The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is poised to terminate a number of junior officers as part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to streamline and reshape federal institutions, including those within the American intelligence community.
The CIA has disclosed that it will assess personnel who have been with the agency for less than two years. Officers who demonstrate behavioral issues or are considered unsuitable for intelligence roles will be dismissed, according to an agency spokesperson. The spokesperson emphasized that not all individuals can manage the demanding nature of intelligence work.
These staff reductions are part of a broader strategy to cut staffing across various federal agencies—a move supported by Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. Although some agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, have encountered significant cutbacks, intelligence agencies like the CIA have faced relatively lighter reductions but are nonetheless affected.
Earlier in the year, the CIA initiated buyout offers to some employees, encouraging voluntary departures. Due to the organization’s secretive nature, it remains unclear how many staff members took advantage of these buyout offers.
Newly appointed CIA Director John Ratcliffe has committed to revitalizing the agency by enhancing its focus on intelligence gathered through human sources. The CIA and counterpart agencies in the West have played a vital role in providing intelligence on Russian military strategies and capabilities to Ukraine. However, Ratcliffe recently announced that information-sharing with Ukraine has been temporarily halted, suggesting this pause could be brief.
