EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Tom Cotton blocks Democratic effort to undermine Director Pulte’s DNI reform

Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) on Wednesday successfully blocked a Democratic effort to undermine the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, arguing that ongoing reforms under Acting DNI Director Bill Pulte should be allowed to continue without congressional interference.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Cotton defended efforts to shrink and streamline the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which was created after the September 11 attacks to coordinate the nation’s intelligence agencies.

“The ODNI needs to be downsized and streamlined,” Cotton said, arguing that the office has expanded well beyond its original mission and accumulated unnecessary bureaucracy over the last two decades.

Cotton said he recently spoke with Acting DNI Director Bill Pulte and found broad agreement on returning the office to its original size, scope, and mission. According to Cotton, Pulte is working to move intelligence personnel detailed to ODNI back to their home agencies and reduce layers of bureaucracy that have developed over time.

The Arkansas Republican pushed back on media reports suggesting large-scale firings were underway at the agency. Cotton said Pulte told him that only a small number of political staff members were departing and that roughly 45 to 50 career personnel were being returned to their original agencies.

“That’s less than 5% of the DNI’s personnel,” Cotton said, adding that he believes additional reductions could eventually be warranted.

Cotton argued that reforms undertaken now could help prepare the agency for the expected confirmation of Jay Clayton, whom President Trump has nominated to serve as DNI.

The Intelligence Committee chairman also praised Clayton as a “patriot” and said he intends to hold a confirmation hearing in the coming weeks. Cotton noted that the Trump administration completed the nominee’s background review and vetting process at an unusually rapid pace.

The dispute comes as Congress continues debating reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Cotton said Democratic leaders were improperly linking FISA reauthorization to the confirmation of intelligence officials.

“I think it’s regrettable that Minority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader Jeffries have linked together the reauthorization of Section 702 with the confirmation of an official to a position that really has very little to do with Section 702,” Cotton said.

Cotton ultimately objected to the Democratic request, blocking the effort and signaling continued Republican support for the Trump administration’s push to reduce bureaucracy within the intelligence community.

A Senate Republican source familiar with the matter said Cotton’s move prevents opponents of ODNI reform from using the confirmation process to slow efforts already underway to streamline the agency.

“Sen. Cotton has been warning for years that ODNI has grown far beyond its intended mission,” the source said. “He’s now working closely with Director Pulte to get intelligence officers back to intelligence work and make America safer. This is yet another example of how Cotton’s leadership on the Intelligence Committee has been a model of effectiveness and no drama–just delivering win after win for conservatives.”