WASHINGTON, D.C. — Bill Pulte assumed the role of acting director of national intelligence on Friday, and reports indicate he initiated the termination of intelligence officials and staff at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) on Monday. This action prompted a legislative response from Sen. Mark Warner, who introduced legislation on Tuesday to define the ODNI's hierarchy and prevent presidents from appointing acting directors.

Warner's proposed legislation would mandate that the principal deputy director of national intelligence, a position requiring Senate confirmation, serve as the acting head during a vacancy. He also stated, "He made the deliberate choice to pass over qualified national security professionals and put an unqualified loyalist in charge." Warner added, "If there is an intelligence failure, a missed threat, or a national security crisis on Bill Pulte's watch, Americans will pay the price, and President Trump will be to blame."

Warner and Representative Jim Himes sent a letter to Pulte on Monday expressing their expectation that he would not implement actions while serving temporarily that are reserved for a Senate-confirmed director. "Given your lack of experience within the Intelligence Community, it is difficult to imagine that in such a short amount of time you have already developed fully informed views as to how to shrink ODNI without incurring risks to national security," they wrote. They also stated, "Making significant structural changes to ODNI, to include a reduction in force, is not an appropriate course of action for anyone in an acting capacity, let alone without consultation with Congress, and you should refrain from doing so."

Sen. Tom Cotton stated that he has collaborated with the administration on a plan to scale down the ODNI. "The ODNI is too big and too bloated," Cotton said. He added, "ODNI has employees mostly from other intelligence agencies," and noted, "I think, in most cases, they would be better off doing real intelligence work at those agencies. That's returning intelligence officers to their agencies." Cotton also said, "Some of it happened under Director Gabbard. It's going to continue under Acting Director Pulte," and added, "Once we confirm Director Clayton, I'm sure it will continue as well."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated there is agreement on scaling down the agency. "It is fair to say that there is a consensus view around here that it is time for the ODNI to be scaled down," Thune said. He also noted, "Frankly, I think that's something that many of us agree on," but added, "But how they go about that will be something we'll want some visibility into."