Home » CIA offers ‘buyouts’ to entire workforce amid controversy

CIA offers ‘buyouts’ to entire workforce amid controversy

The Central Intelligence Agency has become the first major national security agency to offer buyouts to its entire workforce, marking a significant shift in the Trump administration’s effort to reshape the federal government. 

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File Source: Yahoo

The Central Intelligence Agency has become the first major national security agency to offer buyouts to its entire workforce, marking a significant shift in the Trump administration’s effort to reshape the federal government. 

The offer, which allows employees to quit their jobs in exchange for roughly eight months of pay and benefits, had previously been unavailable to most national security roles due to their critical function. However, CIA Director John Ratcliffe personally pushed for the agency’s inclusion, a source familiar with the decision said.  

A CIA spokesperson described the move as part of Ratcliffe’s strategy to “ensure the CIA workforce is responsive to the Administration’s national security priorities,” adding that it is “part of a holistic strategy to infuse the Agency with renewed energy.” Despite the broad announcement, it remains unclear whether all CIA employees will be allowed to take the offer. Some roles and areas of expertise are expected to be restricted, and Ratcliffe retains discretion over the timing of officer departures in critical areas, according to sources familiar with the matter.  

Internal guidance from the Office of Personnel Management last week indicated that some officers at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence might be eligible for the program, but not all positions would necessarily qualify. As recently as last week, CIA employees were being told that officials were still determining whether they would be included, one source said. The Wall Street Journal first reported the CIA’s participation in the buyout program.  

The decision has sparked controversy, with some critics viewing the move as a politically motivated purge. Trump and his allies have repeatedly accused intelligence officers at the CIA of being part of a “deep state” working against him. Meanwhile, some national security officials in Trump’s orbit believe the CIA has become overly focused on analysis at the expense of its clandestine intelligence collection and covert operations—functions of the agency’s smaller Directorate of Operations. Ratcliffe, during his confirmation hearing, pledged to reinvest in these core capabilities, telling CIA officers, “To the brave CIA officers listening all around the world, if all of this sounds like what you signed up for, then buckle up and get ready to make a difference. If it doesn’t, then it’s time to find a new line of work.”  

The broader deferred resignation program, introduced in a mass email from OPM to federal employees on January 28, has caused uproar across the government. Federal employee unions have urged members not to accept the offer, warning that those who decline may still face job losses. The Trump administration is planning widespread layoffs across federal agencies under what officials are calling “Reductions in Force.” These layoffs are expected to begin soon after Thursday’s deadline for workers to accept the resignation package.  

Under the program, employees who voluntarily leave will continue to be paid through September 30 but will not be required to work during that period. It is unclear whether the same terms apply to the CIA’s buyout offer. As the deadline approaches, concerns grow over the administration’s aggressive approach to downsizing, raising questions about the long-term impact on national security and the intelligence community’s ability to operate effectively.

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