The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has offered buyouts to its entire workforce in alignment with President Donald Trump’s priorities. The agency is also halting the hiring of job applicants with conditional offers, intending to realign its goals, which now include targeting drug cartels, addressing Trump’s trade policies, and countering China. The agency’s budget and employment numbers remain undisclosed, and it has not yet provided a comment on these recent developments. A CIA spokesperson mentioned that these actions aim to revitalize the agency.

This move by the CIA reflects broader changes in the U.S. government under the Trump administration, which has been restructuring by dismissing and sidelining numerous civil servants to reduce bureaucracy and bring in more loyalists. The White House has even offered 2 million civilian federal workers the opportunity to take a break with pay and benefits until September 30 as part of downsizing efforts. Meanwhile, unions representing government employees have taken legal action against the administration’s buyout plans.

John Ratcliffe, the current CIA Director and former Director of National Intelligence, has emphasized a shift in focus towards the Western Hemisphere under Trump’s leadership. The agency’s new direction includes targeting countries not traditionally seen as U.S. adversaries. These changes mark a significant transformation within the CIA and the broader U.S. government landscape.