President Trump urged his interim intelligence director, Bill Pulte, to launch a sweeping dismissal of employees he deems unnecessary, targeting staff who served under recent Democratic administrations. In a Wall Street Journal interview, Trump framed the move as a way to “slim down” the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and eliminate perceived partisan bias.

Pulte, a Federal Housing Finance Agency head with no national‑security background, can occupy the acting role for 210 days without Senate confirmation. Trump highlighted the temporary nature as a power boost, saying it lets Pulte act without the constraints of a permanent appointment. Republican senators voiced alarm, fearing the intelligence community could become a political weapon amid debates over FISA reauthorization.

The president also tasked Pulte with probing the 2020 election, a claim he repeatedly contests despite official findings of no widespread fraud. By targeting career analysts and former Democratic staffers, Trump aims to reshape the agency before a permanent director is installed, signaling a direct challenge to established intelligence norms.