Washington [US], May 3: According to The Washington Post on May 2, the U.S. administration has informed members of Congress of plans to cut about 1,200 personnel at the CIA, along with thousands of members of the U.S. intelligence community, over the next few years.
The CIA has not commented on the mass layoffs, but a CIA spokesman quoted agency director John Ratcliffe as saying the agency is "acting swiftly" to ensure that the agency's workforce is "capable of responding to the administration's national security priorities."
The spokesman added that the changes at the CIA "will provide opportunities for emerging leaders and a better stance for the CIA to carry out its missions."
The CIA does not disclose the number of personnel, but some reports suggest that the agency has about 22,000 members. In addition to the CIA, the National Security Agency (NSA) or the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) are also subject to personnel cuts.
Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has told several media outlets that there are intelligence officers operating under the so-called "underground state" against President Trump. Gabbard said the ODNI agency she leads has reduced its staff by 25 percent and become more streamlined since she took office on Feb. 12.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
