The White House plans to cut staffing at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other intelligence agencies, including the National Security Agency, Trump administration officials told members of Congress, The Washington Post reported. A person familiar with the plan but not authorised to discuss it publicly confirmed the changes on condition of anonymity.

The administration plans to reduce the CIA workforce by 1200 over several years, and cut thousands of positions at the NSA and other intelligence agencies. The Post reported that the reductions at the CIA include several hundred people who have already opted for early retirement. The rest of the cuts would be achieved partly through reduced hirings and would not likely necessitate layoffs. In response to questions about the reductions, the CIA issued a statement saying CIA Director John Ratcliffe is working to align the agency with Trump’s national security priorities.