In a dramatic shake-up of America’s intelligence apparatus, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced sweeping reforms this week that will slash nearly half of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) workforce, dissolve multiple intelligence centers, and save taxpayers an estimated $700 million annually. The restructuring, dubbed “ODNI 2.0,” is being billed by officials as the most significant overhaul since the office was created in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
This bold move comes amid a flurry of related actions from the Trump administration, including the revocation of security clearances for dozens of current and former officials and the declassification of documents that question longstanding intelligence findings about Russian interference in the 2016 election. The reforms are part of a broader effort led by the Department of Government Efficiency—helmed by Elon Musk—to streamline federal operations and cut costs, according to The Economic Times and ABC News.
Gabbard, who took the helm at ODNI after a period of strained relations with President Trump, described the intelligence community as having become “bloated and inefficient” over the last two decades, plagued by “abuse of power, unauthorized leaks of classified intelligence, and politicized weaponization of intelligence.” In a statement released Wednesday, she declared, “Ending the weaponization of intelligence and holding bad actors accountable are essential to begin to earn the American people's trust which has long been eroded. Under President Trump's leadership, ODNI 2.0 is the start of a new era focused on serving our country, fulfilling our core national security mission with excellence.”
Among the most significant changes is the early dissolution of the Foreign Malign Influence Center, a body created by the Biden administration in 2022 to coordinate intelligence on foreign election interference. Its main duties—tracking and debunking disinformation campaigns, such as a Russian video falsely depicting Pennsylvania mail-in ballots being destroyed before the 2024 election—will be absorbed by other agencies. Gabbard argued the center had become “redundant” and accused it of being used to suppress free speech and censor opposition. “We are here to serve a purpose greater than ourselves. I hope you will join me in embracing this opportunity for a new beginning with discipline and resolve—owning our mission and charging ahead together,” she wrote in a message to staff obtained by ABC News.
Other casualties of the restructuring include the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center and the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, both of which will have their functions folded into ODNI’s Mission Integration directorate and the National Intelligence Council. The National Counterterrorism Center, now under the leadership of Joe Kent, will refocus on its core counterterrorism mission, with an expanded role in counternarcotics—a nod to the Trump administration’s push to treat drug trafficking as a national security threat.
The National Intelligence University is set to transfer to the Defense Department’s National Defense University, a move Gabbard and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth say “aligns with President Trump’s focus on increasing efficiencies across government and will enhance the quality of our education programs.” The aim, officials say, is to better integrate intelligence training with defense priorities and reduce duplication, consolidating national security education under one roof.
In addition, the National Intelligence Managers and the National Intelligence Management Council will be absorbed into the National Intelligence Officer structure to further streamline oversight. The External Research Council—a politically appointed body accused of injecting partisan views into intelligence processes—and the Strategic Futures Group, which was criticized for pushing “deep state” agendas through its Global Trends report, will also be shuttered. ODNI’s Reston, Virginia, campus will close, with all operations consolidated at headquarters.
The reforms are not just about cutting fat, officials insist. Gabbard and her team are placing a renewed emphasis on updating the ODNI’s technological backbone, some of which hasn’t seen a refresh in two decades. The overhaul will prioritize investment in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced data tools, with a focus on modernizing analytic tradecraft. “Updating analytic tradecraft to incorporate AI will be a priority, though staff will not be replaced by machines,” a senior official told ABC News.
The cost savings are expected to be substantial. By eliminating duplicative human resources and analytic tools across the sprawling, 18-member intelligence community, officials project nearly $1 billion in recurring annual savings. Employees affected by the cuts began receiving notices on August 20, with positions officially ending September 23. Vacancies will not be filled, and staff loaned to other agencies will return to their home offices, according to ABC News.
Gabbard’s actions have ignited a fierce political debate. Republicans, including Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, have enthusiastically endorsed the reforms. “Congress created the ODNI to be a lean organization that used small staffs to coordinate across the Intelligence Community and execute specific, important tasks. Today’s announcement is an important step towards returning ODNI to that original size, scope, and mission. And it will help make it a stronger and more effective national security tool for President Trump,” Cotton said in a statement.
Democrats, however, are sounding the alarm. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, acknowledged the need for “thoughtful reform” but questioned Gabbard’s ability to deliver it impartially. “The Intelligence Authorization Act directs Director Gabbard to submit a plan to Congress outlining her proposed changes, and we will carefully review her proposals and conduct rigorous oversight to ensure any reforms strengthen, not weaken, our national security. But given Director Gabbard’s track record of politicizing intelligence—including her decision just yesterday to revoke security clearances from career national security officials—I have no confidence that she is the right person to carry out this weighty responsibility,” Warner stated.
The downsizing fits squarely within the Trump administration’s broader cost-cutting mandate, which has seen similar actions across the federal government. Earlier this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi disbanded an FBI task force on foreign election influence, and the administration reduced staff at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. In April, a State Department office fighting disinformation from Russia, China, and Iran was also shut down, according to The Economic Times.
Not everyone is convinced that the reforms will yield the intended benefits. Emerson Brooking, a fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, disputed Gabbard’s claim that the Foreign Malign Influence Center was redundant. He argued that the center was created precisely to eliminate redundancies by synthesizing intelligence and informing policymakers—work he described as “important but boring.”
For now, the intelligence community faces a period of significant transition. Whether Gabbard’s promises of increased agility, fiscal discipline, and restored public trust will be realized remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the era of business as usual for America’s intelligence agencies is over, and the stakes—for both national security and democratic oversight—have rarely been higher.
