Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has terminated a number of newly employed probationary staff, causing alarm among intelligence authorities regarding possible threats to US national security, sources reported.
The dismissals, undertaken by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and under President Donald Trump’s regime, form part of an extensive federal labor downsizing carried out under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and spearheaded by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. Based on a leaked source, the layoffs resulted from poor performance, although the specific number of personnel dismissed remains secret.
A CIA spokesman had confirmed that the agency is taking a look at staff in their first two years of service and that some terminations have stemmed from this initiative. “Our officers work under high-stress conditions, and the work isn’t for every person,” said the statement.
Some federal employees who were let go as part of the restructuring of the Trump administration had good performance reviews before they were cut loose, records reviewed by Reuters showed.
The House and Senate intelligence committees were reportedly not notified about the dismissals, which deviates from customary procedures. Lawmakers are expected to seek further clarification from the agency in the coming days.
The termination of CIA probationary employees was the decision made after a federal court judge granted the agency permission to discharge employees at will. Intelligence experts predict that the wholesale firing will greatly affect the intelligence gathering and analysis, one unnamed official suggesting recovery may take years.
Former senior CIA official Daniel Hoffman was concerned, pointing to previous staff cuts under the Clinton administration that left the intelligence community ill-prepared for attacks such as the 9/11 attacks.
Lawmakers and intelligence officials also fear that a recent CIA review, which involved a list of probationary employees referred to the Office of Personnel Management, could reveal classified identities, leaving them open to foreign enemies.
