President Donald Trump’s second term is quickly reshaping the U.S. intelligence community, slashing staffing levels and budgets, dismantling divisive Biden-era DEI initiatives, and targeting politicization that conservatives say has weakened national security.
Under Trump’s aggressive directive, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has already made substantial cuts, reducing staff by 25% to streamline operations and eliminate costly bureaucratic waste. Gabbard specifically targeted the Office of Human Capital, a center for controversial DEI programs during the Biden administration, labeling it a “$150 million DEI slush fund.”
CIA Director John Ratcliffe has likewise embraced Trump’s mandate, vowing to eliminate political biases and bureaucratic excesses within the agency. Ratcliffe promised Trump at a cabinet meeting to deliver a CIA that is leaner, more effective, and relentlessly focused on national security priorities rather than politics.
Ratcliffe has taken bold action, firing officials associated with the Biden administration’s DEI policies, including a key figure behind Biden’s controversial military vaccine mandate. Ratcliffe emphasized “meritocracy” in his internal communications, urging agency personnel to refocus on mission-critical tasks and end years of uncontrolled budget growth.
The CIA is also undergoing strategic shifts, moving its attention away from traditional Middle Eastern theaters like Afghanistan and Iraq toward the direct threats posed by Latin American drug cartels. Trump’s designation of cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations has significantly raised the stakes, prompting the CIA to merge its Latin American and Counternarcotics operations into a unified, aggressive unit targeting cartel infrastructure.
Recent reports indicate the CIA has even begun covert drone surveillance operations against fentanyl labs in Mexico and is actively considering lethal measures to eliminate cartel threats. Conservatives widely support these initiatives as long-overdue steps to directly combat deadly narcotics operations that threaten American communities.
At the National Security Agency (NSA), Trump’s administration has mandated significant civilian workforce cuts, trimming up to 2,000 positions to reduce bureaucratic waste. The NSA, crucial in signals intelligence and cybersecurity, has been ordered to refocus resources towards operational effectiveness rather than bloated administration.
Newly appointed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced this message, introducing the “Less Generals More GIs” policy. This initiative dramatically cuts senior leadership, redistributing resources directly to active-duty military personnel. Hegseth aims to eliminate billions in redundant spending, echoing Trump’s broader commitment to leaner government.
Even the FBI is not exempt from Trump’s budget-slashing reforms. Trump’s proposed budget cuts nearly half a billion dollars from the bureau, targeting DEI initiatives and programs considered duplicative and politically motivated. FBI Director Kash Patel has pledged to streamline operations and cut waste, despite initially expressing concern over funding levels. Patel later assured Congress the bureau would effectively manage under Trump’s budget, aligning FBI operations with conservative fiscal discipline.
In response to pervasive leaks, Gabbard condemned “deep state actors” who have leaked classified details to the press, vowing a renewed crackdown to end unauthorized disclosures undermining national security. Trump’s team argues these leaks are politically motivated attempts to undermine the administration’s reforms and refocus on security threats rather than partisan interests.
Trump’s structural shakeup of the intelligence community marks a dramatic departure from Biden-era policies. Conservatives welcome these changes, asserting they will restore accountability, enhance operational effectiveness, and prioritize national security over political correctness.
Trump’s deep cuts send a clear signal: the era of sprawling bureaucracy and liberal social policies within intelligence and defense agencies is over. Conservatives say Trump’s decisive action demonstrates his commitment to national security, fiscal responsibility, and restoring Americans’ trust in government institutions.
