WASHINGTON – The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) offered buyouts to most of its employees on Tuesday, as part of a move to align the agency’s goals with the priorities of U.S. President Donald Trump.
A CIA official told USA TODAY that the buyouts were part of an initiative led by newly confirmed CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe’s aim is to make sure the agency’s workforce supports Trump’s national security agenda. The move also aims to bring fresh energy to the CIA, giving opportunities for new leaders to rise within the agency, the official explained, though they spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The buyout offer was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which noted that the CIA’s new priorities under Ratcliffe include focusing on drug cartels, Trump’s trade war, and taking steps to challenge China.
This buyout offer is different from the “Fork in the Road” program that Trump’s administration introduced for other federal agencies. The CIA’s buyout includes options for voluntary early retirement and resignations. However, not all employees will be eligible for these buyouts, especially those working on high-priority tasks for the agency.
While the CIA does not share information about its budget or employee count, it is clear that this buyout offer is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to reshape the U.S. government. In recent years, the administration has cut back on the number of civil servants and hired more individuals loyal to Trump’s policies.
In addition to this move, last week, the White House offered 2 million civilian federal workers a chance to leave their jobs this week and continue receiving pay and benefits through September 30. This is part of Trump’s effort to shrink the size of the federal government.
Earlier on Tuesday, unions representing government workers filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration’s buyout plan.
John Ratcliffe, a former U.S. Congressman who served as the Director of National Intelligence during Trump’s first term, was confirmed as CIA Director shortly after Trump began his second term in office. According to the Wall Street Journal, Ratcliffe plans to shift the CIA’s focus more toward the Western Hemisphere and target nations that are not typically seen as U.S. adversaries.
