CIA To Lay Off Recently Hired Officers As Trump Reshapes Intelligence Community

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) will dismiss an undisclosed number of junior officers as President Donald Trump's efforts to downsize and reshape the federal government impact America's intelligence community.

An agency spokesperson said Thursday that the CIA will review personnel hired within the past two years, with officers exhibiting behavioral issues or deemed unfit for intelligence work set to be laid off. "Not everyone proves able to handle the pressures of the job," the spokesperson added.

The cuts are part of widespread staffing reductions across federal agencies under Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. Some agencies, like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), have been largely dismantled. While intelligence agencies have avoided the most severe cuts, they have not been exempt. In February, the CIA offered buyouts to some employees, though the agency has not disclosed how many accepted.

Recently confirmed CIA Director John Ratcliffe has pledged to overhaul the agency, refocusing on human-gathered intelligence. The CIA and other Western intelligence agencies have played a crucial role in providing Ukraine with intelligence on Russian war plans and capabilities.

Ratcliffe confirmed this week that intelligence sharing with Ukraine has been suspended but described the interruption as potentially temporary.