Tulsi Gabbard is making significant changes to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), a move she describes as essential and timely. On Wednesday, she unveiled plans to reduce the agency’s size by more than 40 percent, aiming to save taxpayers roughly $700 million each year. Gabbard characterized this transformation as a necessary step to restore trust in a body she claims has become “bloated and inefficient” over the last two decades.
“Over the last 20 years, ODNI has become bloated and inefficient, and the intelligence community is rife with abuse of power,” Gabbard stated. She is intent on eliminating offices that contributed to the politicization of intelligence, aiming to shift focus back to its core responsibilities: delivering unbiased and timely intelligence to the President and policymakers. Trust, she stresses, is crucial to fulfilling the agency’s mission under the Constitution.
In her vision for “ODNI 2.0,” Gabbard is tackling the systemic failures that have plagued the agency since its formation after the 9/11 terror attacks. A spokesperson for ODNI candidly acknowledged these shortcomings, stating, “Unfortunately, two decades later, ODNI has fallen short in fulfilling its mandate.”
The plan includes closing the Reston Campus and relocating the National Intelligence Council, which will streamline operations and lead to better oversight. Gabbard insists that consolidating functions will both save money and improve efficiency across the intelligence community.
Moreover, Gabbard is committed to reforms that improve operational effectiveness. She intends to create a more efficient procurement process for emerging technologies and address the balance between civilian and contractor positions within the agency. This rebalancing is intended to enhance intelligence capabilities while reducing excess.
Gabbard’s approach extends to integrity within the intelligence community, as she further dedicates efforts toward security clearance reforms and combating unauthorized leaks. “End the weaponization of intelligence and hold bad actors accountable,” she asserts, linking these actions to restoring American faith in national security institutions.
As Gabbard implements these pivotal changes, her leadership is positioned as a turning point for a contentious intelligence landscape. By focusing on operational efficiency and unwavering oversight, she aims to reclaim the agency’s purpose in safeguarding the nation’s safety, security, and freedoms.
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