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PoliticsActing DNI Bill Pulte Fires Dozens of Intelligence Officials
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Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte has fired dozens of intelligence officials, according to a report by MS Now on Friday. President Donald Trump appointed Pulte in June after Tulsi Gabbard resigned. The dismissals, announced via termination notices on Thursday, target officials perceived as 'deep state' and accused of failing to provide complete intelligence assessments. The White House and ODNI declined to comment. This follows earlier firings of Gabbard's political appointees in June. Trump had instructed Pulte to 'start the process' of large-scale firings. Pulte's appointment drew bipartisan congressional criticism. Trump subsequently nominated Jay Clayton as permanent DNI but canceled his confirmation hearing hours before it was scheduled, leaving Pulte as acting director with access to sensitive intelligence.
Source report
William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), during a news conference in Washington, DC, on April 22, 2026. Credit: Eric Lee | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte has fired dozens of intelligence officials, MS Now reported on Friday, marking a new wave of dismissals within the U.S. intelligence community.
Pulte, whom President Donald Trump tapped as acting spy chief in June following Tulsi Gabbard's resignation, sent termination notices on Thursday to dozens of intelligence officials, according to an intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
The intelligence official told MS Now that the Trump administration was removing officials "who they believe are deep state" and who have allegedly failed to provide complete pictures of available intelligence.
The White House and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday.
Background on the Firings
CNN first reported last month that Pulte had eliminated several political appointees who served under Tulsi Gabbard, the former director of national intelligence who announced her resignation in May.
Trump reportedly said in early June that he wanted Pulte to "start the process" of firing large numbers of DNI employees. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence oversees 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and the National Security Agency.
Bipartisan Criticism and Leadership Controversy
The president's decision to tap Pulte has drawn sharp bipartisan criticism from members of Congress.
Pulte, who also serves as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has used his position to investigate opponents of Trump for alleged mortgage fraud.
Amid congressional opposition, Trump announced in June that Jay Clayton—the current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission—was his permanent pick for DNI.
The Senate attempted to fast-track Clayton's confirmation, scheduling a hearing for June 17. However, Trump scuttled the effort, instructing Clayton not to attend in a Truth Social post hours before the hearing and stating that Pulte would remain acting DNI in the interim.
Pulte assumed the interim role on June 19, gaining access to the most sensitive U.S. intelligence data.
Source
US Top News and AnalysisWestern
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Trump appoints housing chief Bill Pulte as acting intelligence director