Trump plans to reduce spy agency staff and dismisses Iran reports

President Donald Trump is moving forward with plans to cut jobs at the top U.S. intelligence agency. He’s pushing these changes while openly disagreeing with the agency’s director and rejecting reports that don’t match his public statements about Iran. Trump has repeatedly claimed that U.S. strikes “destroyed” Iran’s nuclear program, but a leaked Defense Intelligence Agency report suggests the attacks only delayed it by months.

This has caused tension, as Trump and his team, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, argue the report is incomplete and unfairly questions the mission’s success. The disagreement highlights Trump’s ongoing distrust of U.S. spy agencies, a pattern seen during his first term when he clashed over investigations into his campaign’s ties to Russia. Now, he’s frustrated with intelligence findings that challenge his narrative about the Iran strikes.

To address this, the White House is tightening control over classified information shared with Congress, which has upset some Democratic lawmakers. Trump’s team is also working to prove the strikes were a major success, with CIA Director John Ratcliffe stating that Iran’s nuclear program was “severely damaged.”

However, no public evidence fully supports Trump’s claim of destruction. As the administration navigates these disputes, Trump remains focused on reshaping the intelligence community to align with his views, raising concerns about how future intelligence will be handled.