Top Democrats warn acting intel chief Pulte against major personnel cuts, declassification changes

Lawmakers Warn Acting Intelligence Chief Against Major Workforce Changes

Top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees warned acting spy chief Bill Pulte on Monday not to use his temporary position to make significant changes at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). They cited concerns that Pulte could pursue sweeping personnel cuts or politically motivated declassification decisions before a Senate-confirmed director is in place.

In a June 22 letter to Pulte, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated that Pulte should not take actions “more appropriately left to a Senate-confirmed Director.” They also reminded him of his legal obligation to preserve records related to any actions he takes in the role.

Context of the Warning

The warning comes days after Pulte began serving as acting director of national intelligence. This followed the cancellation of a Senate hearing for Jay Clayton, Trump’s nominee to permanently lead the intelligence community. The delay ensured Pulte would assume the acting role, prolonging a conflict that has already complicated bipartisan efforts to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act—a powerful foreign spying authority that lapsed earlier this month.

Democrats have warned that Pulte’s role in the administration’s mortgage fraud reviews last year could foreshadow the use of intelligence tools to pursue the president’s political opponents.

Concerns Over Declassification and Personnel Actions

In Monday’s letter, Himes and Warner sharpened that concern, stating that Pulte’s record as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency showed “a willingness to misuse your position, including your access to sensitive information,” to pursue Trump’s perceived political enemies.

The lawmakers said they expect Pulte to:

• Not declassify information in a way that would compromise intelligence sources and methods
• Not “weaponize the declassification process for partisan political purposes”
• Follow established policies for any declassification effort
• Include input from career intelligence officials on national security risks before releasing classified material

The letter also directly addresses multiple reports that Pulte could soon fire or place on leave hundreds of ODNI employees. Himes and Warner expressed concern over those reports and argued that any large workforce reduction would come after substantial downsizing at ODNI had already occurred this year.

Pulte could serve in the acting role through August, according to a New York Times report Monday, citing an administration official.

“Given your lack of experience within the Intelligence Community, it is difficult to imagine that in such a short amount of time you have already developed fully-informed views as to how to shrink ODNI without incurring risks to national security,” they wrote.

ODNI’s Background and Requests

A spokesperson for ODNI did not immediately return a request for comment.

The office was created after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to improve coordination across the intelligence community. Trump has said he wants Pulte to further downsize the office and continue election-related investigations launched under former DNI Tulsi Gabbard.

Himes and Warner said Pulte should refrain from making significant structural changes to ODNI, including any reduction in force, while serving in an acting capacity and without consulting Congress.

Records Preservation Requirements

The lawmakers also stated that Pulte and ODNI employees must preserve records related to declassification, publication, or release of classified materials, as well as personnel actions. They noted that this obligation extends to:

• Electronic messages sent through official or personal accounts
• Text messages
• Phone-based messaging apps
• Encrypted software

They requested that Pulte soon acknowledge the letter and confirm his “full and immediate compliance” with legal records-preservation requirements.