The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is reportedly starting to lay off some employees hired within the past 2 years. These individuals are said to be “probationary” officers. It has been noted that fewer layoffs are occurring in divisions dealing with China and Mexican cartels.

According to The New York Times (NYT), some officers hired in the last 2 years were called to a location outside the CIA headquarters to surrender their identities. A spokesperson for the CIA confirmed the layoffs, while sources familiar with the matter told NYT that these individuals were “probationary” officers. The sources indicated that not all recently hired individuals would be let go.

REASONS FOR THEIR DISMISSALS UNKNOWN While the reasons why CIA officers were called in and terminated remain unknown, staff within the agency are reportedly anxious about these developments. A spokesperson for the organization indicated that the agency was evaluating the work performance of employees hired in the past 2 years, while NYT sources highlighted that there were fewer layoffs in divisions working with China and Mexican cartels. Former CIA officers warn that the dismissal of newly hired officers may create some gaps, potentially harming intelligence gathering and analysis efforts in various fields.

EFFORTS TO “DOWNSIZE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT” It was previously suggested that efforts to “downsize the federal government” included CIA personnel. Allegedly, the CIA offered all employees a chance to “voluntarily separate” with their benefits intact. It was reported that around 20,000 personnel accepted the compensation offer extended to federal employees who would leave their positions by February 6 under the Trump administration.