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Acting DNI Pulte announced a fifth, 'near final' round of ODNI terminations, citing a roughly 30% staff reduction

On July 28, 2026, acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte posted on X that ODNI was "Executing a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS, an approximately 30% Staff Reduction from Weeks Ago," framing the cuts as necessary so the intelligence community would "protect the American people, NOT the political whims of the bloated and corrupt elite class." The announcement came hours before the Senate's confirmation vote on permanent DNI nominee Jay Clayton and one day after a fourth round of cuts.

Part of: Acting DNI Pulte's ODNI Staff Purge

Jurisdiction
Federal
Location
Washington, DC

Abuses documented

Actors

On the morning of July 28, 2026, acting DNI Bill Pulte posted on X: "Good News! In addition to the Historic DECLASSIFICATIONS (Transparency!) by the President, we are, this morning, Executing a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS, an approximately 30% Staff Reduction from Weeks Ago. The Intelligence Community must protect the American people, NOT the political whims of the bloated and corrupt elite class."

It was the first round in which Pulte attached a specific figure to the cuts, and the first time he characterized a round as "near final." The announcement came one day after a fourth round of cuts (July 27) and hours before the Senate's confirmation vote on Jay Clayton, Trump's nominee for permanent DNI — capping a five-round, roughly five-week purge that began with Pulte's June 22 directive ordering ODNI offices to rank personnel for removal.

Updates

2026-08-01 — Pulte announced ODNI leadership handover to Clayton effective Aug. 3 [4, 5]

Acting DNI Bill Pulte announced on X on August 1, 2026 that after speaking with President Trump and incoming DNI Jay Clayton, the ODNI leadership transition would take place Monday, August 3 — concluding his roughly two-month tenure as acting director. Clayton, formerly U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former SEC chairman, was confirmed by the Senate along party lines the week prior. Pulte credited himself with "right sizing" ODNI during his tenure, which included the five rounds of staff cuts recorded above.

Why we recorded this

A day after the fourth round, acting DNI Bill Pulte announced a fifth and, in his own words, "near final" round of ODNI terminations, this time citing a specific figure — roughly 30% staff reduction "from weeks ago" — the first quantified disclosure across five rounds of cuts. Recorded as its own event because it marks both the largest disclosed reduction and Pulte's own characterization of the purge as complete or nearly so, hours before the Senate confirmed his permanent successor.

Sources

  1. Official statement announcing the fifth round of ODNI terminations — Bill Pulte (Acting DNI), via X primary accessed July 28, 2026
  2. 'Good News!' Acting DNI 'executing a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS' in Deep State — WorldNetDaily secondary accessed July 28, 2026
  3. DNI Director Bill Pulte Just Provided an Update on Layoffs and Election Security — Townhall secondary accessed July 28, 2026
  4. Trump's housing regulator Bill Pulte says he'll hand over intel reins to Jay Clayton on Monday — ABC News (Associated Press) investigative accessed August 2, 2026
  5. Acting director of national intelligence says leadership transition will begin Monday after Trump talks — CNN investigative accessed August 2, 2026

See also