The Trump administration has begun reducing staff at the CIA as part of broader efforts to trim government spending, with some of the cuts affecting employees hired in the past two years.
According to The New York Times, several individuals familiar with the firings have reported that recent hires were called to a location outside the CIA’s Langley, Virginia headquarters, where they were asked to surrender their identification badges.
The cuts target probationary employees, who were hired relatively recently. A spokesperson from the department confirmed the layoffs, but the exact number of employees affected remains unclear. It is also noted that not all newly hired officers are being let go.
Although officers were not explicitly told the reasons for their summons, it was widely understood given the context of government-wide layoffs. Many young CIA employees have reportedly become wary of phone calls, fearing that they might be contacted to turn in their identification.
Insiders indicate that the layoffs have severely impacted morale, with productivity taking a noticeable hit this week.
