During an appearance on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Gabbard told viewers that Congress created the ODNI two decades ago after the intelligence failures of 9/11.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced Wednesday a plan to cut 40% of her office's staff by October in an effort to save taxpayers about $700 million per year.

After this reorganization wraps up at the end of fiscal 2025, ODNI will have about 1,300 staffers, down from roughly 1,800.

Tulsi Gabbard informed her office Wednesday of a 40% reduction in personnel and the wholesale closure of centers she found had politicized intelligence as part of a sweeping overhaul of the top spy office.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence had been staffed by more than 1,800 employees when Gabbard was sworn in but is expected to retain just around 1,300 by Sept. 30, according to