DNI Gabbard Unveils Sweeping Overhaul: ODNI to Cut Costs, Workforce by 40% to Root Out Abuses

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced a comprehensive reorganization of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), dubbed ODNI 2.0, aimed at slashing costs by 40% and reducing the workforce by nearly 50% to eliminate bloat, curb abuses of power, and refocus on delivering objective intelligence.

The overhaul, the most significant since ODNI's establishment in April 2005 following the 9/11 Commission's recommendations to improve intelligence sharing and oversight, is projected to save taxpayers over $700 million annually. By streamlining redundant missions, functions, and personnel, the plan will enable ODNI to better serve as a central hub for intelligence integration, strategic guidance, and oversight across the 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and NSA.

"Over the last 20 years, ODNI has become bloated and inefficient, and the intelligence community is rife with abuse of power, unauthorized leaks of classified intelligence, and politicized weaponization of intelligence," Gabbard stated. "ODNI and the IC must make serious changes to fulfill its responsibility to the American people and the U.S. Constitution by focusing on our core mission: find the truth and provide objective, unbiased, timely intelligence to the President and policymakers."

Key reforms include consolidating centers to cut redundancies: the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), National Counterproliferation Center (NCPC), and National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) will merge into a single National Threat Integration Center. The Foreign Malign Influence Center (FMIC) will be refocused, saving at least $7 million yearly, with foreign election threats integrated into domestic counterterrorism efforts. Gabbard highlighted past overemphasis on election-related work, citing the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) falsely alleging Russian preference for President Trump in 2016 as a manufactured example of politicization.

The plan also entails overhauling the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center (NCBC) and Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center (CTIIC), though specifics remain forthcoming. These changes address President Trump's longstanding criticisms of ODNI as politicized against him, aligning with recent actions like revoking security clearances from 37 former officials for alleged manipulation and forming a task force to investigate unauthorized leaks and abuses from the Obama and Biden eras.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton endorsed the initiative: "ODNI 2.0 is an important step to return the department to its original size, scope, and mission. I look forward to working with DNI Gabbard to implement these reforms and ensuring the IC focuses on its core mission: stealing secrets from our adversaries." Cotton, who sponsored legislation to cap ODNI staff at 650 from about 1,600 and eliminate redundancies, sees this as advancing those goals.

Vice Chairman Mark Warner acknowledged bipartisan agreement on ODNI reform needs, noting the Intelligence Authorization Act requires Gabbard to submit a detailed plan for congressional review to safeguard national security. However, Warner expressed "no confidence" in Gabbard's leadership, citing her clearance revocations and task force as politicizing intelligence.

This restructuring fulfills President Trump's vision to restore accountability and efficiency, countering decades of expansion that swelled ODNI's budget and staff while enabling leaks and biases. By prioritizing truth over agendas, ODNI 2.0 aims to strengthen national security through focused, unbiased operations.