NSA to cut up to 2,000 civilian roles as part of intel community downsizing

The National Security Agency has been directed to cut potentially thousands of civilian employees as part of the Trump administration’s push to reduce the size of the federal government, according to three people familiar with the plan.

The largest electronic spy agency in the world must axe 8 percent of its civilian workforce, which covers everything from administrative staff to defense and offensive cybersecurity operators. While the total number of non-military personnel who work at NSA is classified, between 1,500 and 2,000 positions are expected to be cut, these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter, told Recorded Future News.

For now, the agency is expected to make the cuts by the end of year, however that deadline could change, according to one person, as it is tied to the Defense Department’s broader push to reduce its budget by 8 percent in each of the next five years.

This person suggested the civilian workforce cut would ultimately apply to every “combat support agency” that provides tactical-level expertise to the Pentagon — including NSA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.

The Washington Post first reported the effort to shrink the U.S. intelligence community, including an estimated 1,200 positions from the CIA.

The mandated reduction is another challenge for the NSA, which is under the microscope following the dismissal of Air Gen. Timothy Haugh, who also led U.S. Cyber Command, and his No. 2 at the spy organization. 

Rumors persist that President Donald Trump will make good on his long-held desire to sever the “dual-hat” leadership of both entities and install loyalists in the two jobs.

Recorded Future News first reported in February that NSA had begun to offer employees a couple paths to leave their careers early as part of Elon Musk’s “Fork in the Road” initiative to shrink the government. 

One source said that rather than engage in mass firings, the agency has focused its attention on senior personnel who might be near the end of their careers in order to keep more recent hires and better grow future generations of potential national security experts and leaders.

Another source said it is rumored that approximately 100 members of the senior executive service (SES) at the agency are retiring or resigning as a result of the various buyout offers.

An NSA spokesperson declined to comment.