Tulsi Gabbard Revamps ODNI, Reducing Agency By Almost 50%, Saving Taxpayers Over $700 Million
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced sweeping reforms on Wednesday that will fundamentally reshape the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). The initiative, dubbed “ODNI 2.0,” will cut the agency nearly in half by the end of fiscal year 2025, saving taxpayers more than $700 million annually and reducing recurring costs by as much as $1.3 billion.
Refocusing the Mission
Gabbard described the overhaul as a return to ODNI’s constitutional duty to deliver accurate, apolitical intelligence to the President and lawmakers. “ODNI and the IC must make serious changes to fulfill its responsibility to the American people and the U.S. Constitution by focusing on our core mission: find the truth and provide objective, unbiased, timely intelligence,” she said.
The restructuring comes after a months-long review ordered under President Donald Trump’s executive directive. That review concluded that ODNI had grown “bloated and inefficient,” plagued by abuses of power, unauthorized leaks, and the politicization of intelligence. Gabbard emphasized that her priority is to end the weaponization of intelligence and rebuild trust between the American people and the intelligence community.
Workforce and Structural Changes
The reform will cut personnel by 30–40% and consolidate overlapping centers, including the Foreign Malign Influence Center, the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center, and the Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center. Employees impacted will be notified immediately, with separations set to occur by September 30.
ODNI also announced the closure of the National Intelligence University, which will be transferred to the Defense Department’s National Defense University. In a joint letter to faculty, Gabbard and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth assured staff and students that the transition would maintain academic continuity while aligning with Trump’s broader push for government efficiency.
Presidential Support
Senior ODNI officials confirmed that President Trump was fully briefed on the restructuring plan two weeks ago and approved its implementation. The plan reflects his priorities for a streamlined, accountable intelligence community focused strictly on national security.
“Every position should add value, and every individual should feel like they are making a difference,” one senior ODNI official stressed, underscoring the agency’s new cultural direction. Another added, “Action without intelligence is foolish, intelligence without action is useless. Every piece of intelligence should inform a policy decision or a military, covert, or diplomatic action.”
A New Era for Intelligence
The restructuring signals the most significant change to ODNI since its creation in 2004 following the 9/11 attacks. While the agency was originally designed to integrate intelligence and correct systemic failures, critics argue it became a sprawling bureaucracy vulnerable to politicization.
By slashing its size and refocusing its mission, Gabbard said ODNI will return to being a lean, disciplined, and constitutionally grounded agency—one that prioritizes truth, national security, and accountability.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, ODNI 2.0 is the start of a new era focused on serving our country, fulfilling our core national security mission with excellence, always grounded in the U.S. Constitution, and ensuring the safety, security, and freedom of the American people,” Gabbard declared.