Donald Trump’s administration is planning significant staff reductions at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other key U.S. intelligence agencies as part of broader efforts to cut federal spending, The Washington Post reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report, the White House has informed Congress of plans to reduce the CIA workforce by about 1,200 employees over the next few years and to lay off thousands more from other parts of the U.S. intelligence community.
The planned cuts could affect the National Security Agency (NSA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the National Reconnaissance Office (responsible for satellite intelligence), and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which analyzes satellite imagery for U.S. military operations.
The reduction process is expected to unfold gradually, in part through a slowdown in new hiring. One source told The Washington Post that over 500 of the 1,200 CIA positions slated for elimination involve employees who have already applied for early retirement.
While the CIA does not disclose its exact staffing numbers, it is estimated to employ around 22,000 people.
Previously, U.S. authorities officially warned that Chinese intelligence is using deception tactics to recruit both current and former government employees.
