Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte announced Sunday that he has carried out a fourth "deliberate and measured" reduction in personnel since taking office on June 19, as part of the Trump administration's efforts to reorganize the intelligence community and refocus on core national security missions.

In a post on X, Pulte announced the recent staff reductions, stating that his team has been "wisely and deliberately" downsizing the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) while focusing on national security, law, and mandates.

He wrote, "This evening, we completed our fourth deliberate and measured restructuring. Thank you!"

This reduction is part of a major overhaul that began under former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who previously stated that she had eliminated hundreds of positions during her tenure.

Pulte has accelerated these efforts since taking over as acting director, following President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for more efficient operation of intelligence agencies after criticizing what he describes as the "Deep State."

The Hill reported that Pulte's announcement comes just days after the Senate Intelligence Committee passed the nomination of Jay Clayton, President Trump's pick for Director of National Intelligence.

Democratic senators unanimously opposed Clayton's confirmation after he refused to state during his confirmation hearing that former President Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.

Pulte also released additional declassified intelligence documents on Sunday regarding foreign threats to the 2020 election, including a CIA assessment that expressed "persistent concerns" about Venezuela's attempts to manipulate electronic voting systems using Smartmatic technology.

According to the documents, while intelligence agencies found evidence suggesting that Venezuelan officials may have had some interest and capability to influence electronic voting systems, they did not reach the conclusion that widespread election fraud had been successfully carried out.

The document release is part of a broader push by President Trump to declassify intelligence related to election security and foreign interference.

The Washington Post reported that shortly after his appointment, Pulte began reducing the ODNI workforce almost immediately, returning dozens of career intelligence officers to their original agencies and dismissing political appointees.

The Post reported that President Trump has expressed a desire to "downsize" the ODNI, citing his belief that too many officials from previous administrations remain within the office.

Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, defended the personnel changes, stating that they were not indiscriminate mass layoffs but rather routine leadership transitions and the return of detailees to their home agencies.

The ODNI, established after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to coordinate the nation's 18 intelligence agencies, has become a focal point of the Trump administration's broader effort to streamline the federal government and reshape the intelligence community.

US NNP = CEO/Reporter Hong Sung-gu / Special Correspondent NNP info@newsandpost.com