Gabbard unveils plan to cut ODNI workforce by nearly 50%, budget by $700m

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has announced sweeping reforms to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) that will cut nearly half its workforce and reduce costs by more than $700 million each year. The restructuring — branded “ODNI 2.0” — allegedly aims to streamline operations, eliminate what officials call redundancies, and refocus on the office’s original mission of integrating and overseeing the nation’s intelligence agencies.

ODNI said its own personnel reductions of 40-50% will be completed by the end of fiscal year 2025. According to Politico, Gabbard is pushing to cut approximately $1.3 billion in costs across the entire 18-agency intelligence community.

Supporters argue the reforms will end inefficiencies and restore public trust. Critics warn they could undermine intelligence coordination and weaken U.S. national security.

Why Gabbard says ODNI is being downsized

In a press release, Gabbard said ODNI has “become bloated and inefficient” in the two decades since its creation after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. She claimed “abuse of power, unauthorized leaks of classified intelligence, and politicized weaponization of intelligence” as reasons for the overhaul.

“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,” Gabbard said.

Officials said the reorganization will allow ODNI to return to its main purpose: providing “objective, unbiased, timely intelligence to the President and policymakers.”

Which offices are affected?

Several ODNI entities will be restructured or eliminated:

The Foreign Malign Influence Center (FMIC) will be scaled back, with its responsibilities merged into other ODNI divisions.

The Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center (CTIIC) and the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center (NCBC) will be folded into other offices.

The National Intelligence University will be absorbed into the National Defense University.

The External Research Council and Strategic Futures Group will be dissolved.

In addition, ODNI’s Reston, Virginia, campus will close, and the National Intelligence Council will relocate to the main headquarters.

How are lawmakers reacting?

Reaction in Congress split sharply along party lines. Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, R-Ark., praised the move as “an important step towards returning ODNI to that original size, scope, and mission.”

But Democrats raised alarms. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said he would conduct “rigorous oversight to ensure any reforms strengthen, not weaken, our national security,” but added he had “no confidence” in Gabbard to lead the changes given what he called her record of politicizing intelligence.

Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called the plan “yet another profound betrayal of the DNI’s core responsibility to keep Americans safe.” He warned the cuts could have a “chilling effect” on intelligence officers.