CIA to lose 1,000+ jobs as Trump pushes to shrink intelligence workforce

President Donald Trump’s administration is planning significant staff reductions at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other branches of the United States intelligence community, as part of a long-term effort to streamline federal operations, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The CIA is expected to eliminate approximately 1,200 positions over the coming years. Thousands more jobs are reportedly set to be cut across other intelligence agencies.

The reductions will primarily be achieved through attrition and a slowdown in hiring, rather than widespread layoffs.

Members of Congress have been briefed on the strategy, which reflects the Trump administration’s broader push to reduce the size and cost of the federal bureaucracy.

Officials have framed the cuts as a realignment of the intelligence community’s structure to better serve current national security priorities.

A CIA spokesperson declined to confirm the specific number of positions affected, but said Director John Ratcliffe was “moving swiftly to ensure the CIA workforce is responsive to the administration’s national security priorities.”

“These moves are part of a holistic strategy to infuse the agency with renewed energy, provide opportunities for rising leaders to emerge, and better position CIA to deliver on its mission,” the spokesperson said.

Ratcliffe, who was sworn in as CIA director in January after serving as Director of National Intelligence, told lawmakers earlier this year that his leadership would ensure “insightful, objective, all-source analysis” and that operations would remain untainted by political bias.

“We will collect intelligence, especially human intelligence, in every corner of the globe, no matter how dark or difficult,” Ratcliffe said in his confirmation hearing. “We will conduct covert action at the direction of the president, going places no one else can go and doing things no one else can do.”

Addressing CIA officers in a closed-door briefing, Ratcliffe reportedly added: “If all of this sounds like what you signed up for, then buckle up and get ready to make a difference. If it doesn’t, then it’s time to find a new line of work.”

In March, the CIA began implementing internal personnel reviews aimed at removing junior officers who were deemed unsuitable for intelligence work. An agency spokesperson said staff exhibiting behavioural issues or showing poor aptitude under pressure were being considered for dismissal.

Earlier in the year, the CIA also offered voluntary buyouts to a select number of employees, though the agency has not publicly disclosed how many accepted the offer.

The job cuts are part of a wider trend across federal departments under Trump’s second term. In April, the administration fired hundreds of aviation safety workers, prompting concerns from unions and transportation officials. Critics argue the cuts reflect an erosion of critical federal oversight and emergency readiness.

The CIA downsizing comes amid ongoing global security challenges, including cyber threats, geopolitical instability, and terrorism risks. Intelligence experts have expressed caution about the potential impact of a reduced workforce on the agency’s capabilities.

Nick Rasmussen, a former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said the CIA’s mission depends heavily on maintaining deep expertise and regional knowledge.

“Any effort to restructure the intelligence community needs to ensure that critical capabilities are not lost,” Rasmussen told Reuters. “The world hasn’t gotten any simpler.”

The Trump administration has long clashed with elements of the intelligence community, particularly in relation to assessments on foreign interference, internal leaks, and perceived resistance to White House policies. Some observers have described the cuts as both budgetary and ideological.

In his defence, Ratcliffe has maintained that the agency remains committed to excellence and loyalty to mission.

“Our job is to serve the president and the country,” Ratcliffe told staff. “That means staying sharp, focused, and aligned with strategic priorities.”

It remains unclear whether the CIA’s downsizing plan will face legal or legislative obstacles, particularly if key members of Congress raise objections. However, the phased nature of the reduction — relying on hiring freezes and buyouts — is likely to make it more difficult to challenge.

If fully implemented, the cuts would represent one of the most significant structural shifts in the US intelligence apparatus in decades.