Trump asks acting intelligence chief Pulte to begin firing employees: Report

US President Donald Trump said Friday that he wants Bill Pulte, his incoming acting director of national intelligence, to begin dismissing a significant number of employees across the US intelligence community.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump said he has privately told Pulte that he believes the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is “unnecessary and or too big.”

“I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” Trump said.

Asked whether he was encouraging Pulte to fire employees, Trump said he wants him to “start the process,” adding that his eventual nominee for the post on a permanent basis should continue the effort.

Trump surprised many of his own advisers earlier this week when he named Pulte, current head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting director of national intelligence.

The appointment does not require Senate confirmation and can last for up to 210 days under federal law.

Trump argued that Pulte's temporary status gives him greater flexibility to carry out changes within the intelligence apparatus.

“You’re less shackled,” he said. “It sort of gives you more power, you know, for a somewhat limited period of time.”