Acting spy chief sought staff list, possible cuts

June 20, 2026

1–2 minutes

Summary

CNN reported Bill Pulte sought a full staff list at the intelligence office as he weighed cuts affecting hundreds of jobs.

Why this matters

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence helps coordinate major U.S. spy agencies, so leadership changes and staffing cuts could affect oversight and operations. The report also raised scrutiny from congressional Democrats over Pulte’s brief tenure and authority.

Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte is seeking to cut hundreds of jobs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, CNN reported Friday, as he prepared to take over the U.S. intelligence community.

Citing two sources familiar with the matter, CNN reported that Pulte, a federal housing regulator, arrived at his new job a day early on Thursday after asking for a list of every employee in the office so he could assess whether to fire them. CNN said he met with lawyers and staff members during the visit.

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said that if the report was true, it showed why Pulte “should never spend a minute as Director of National Intelligence, a role he is legally not qualified to perform.”

“Mr. Pulte should expect the Intelligence Committee to closely scrutinize any actions he takes in what should be a very short period in this role, to include any personnel decisions or declassifications,” Himes added in a statement.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence oversees agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. Pulte replaces Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month. Her final day in office was Friday.

Gabbard had already cut the office’s workforce by about 40% since taking the position last year.

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World

U.S. to phase out HIV funding for South Africa

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The U.S. government said it will begin a phased withdrawal of funding for HIV and AIDS programs in South Africa, which has more than 8 million people living with HIV, the highest total of any country.

Until 2025, the U.S. provided an estimated $400 million a year through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), about a fifth of South Africa’s HIV-program spending.

The official said the goal was to “foster self-reliance” and reduce dependence on U.S. funding, adding that “South Africa is a middle-income country and is more than capable of supporting its own health programs.”

South Africa’s Health Ministry said it had not been informed of the decision, but said it had “long been working on a self-reliance plan.” The ministry also said life-saving antiretroviral drugs were funded separately, mostly by the South African government.

The funding decision came as relations between Washington and Pretoria deteriorated after President Donald Trump took office. A White House executive order said South African policies had dismantled equal opportunity and fueled violence “against racially disfavored landowners.” South Africa rejected that claim and said its Black Economic Empowerment policy was intended to address inequality rooted in apartheid.

The order also cited South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and its ties to Iran. The White House said that because of these “unjust and immoral practices,” further aid would not be provided.

Trump has also said there is a “white genocide” in South Africa. His administration set up a refugee program for Afrikaners, descendants of Western Europeans who settled in southern Africa in the 17th century.

PEPFAR funding had received a temporary reprieve last October under a “bridge plan.” Efforts to improve ties have struggled, including a White House meeting between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa more than a year ago, and a U.S. boycott of the G20 meeting hosted by South Africa last November.
World Politics

Italy cancels U.S. visit after Trump comments on Meloni

Trump has accused Meloni of failing to help the U.S. with NATO and threatened to pull U.S. troops from Italy, saying Rome “has not been of any help to us” in the Iran war.

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Italy reacted on Friday after reported comments by President Donald Trump about Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceling a planned U.S. visit for June 21 and 22.

Meloni said she was “frankly stunned” by Trump’s comments to Italian channel La7.

According to a written transcript of the phone interview provided to AFP by the network, Trump said Meloni “begged me for a picture” at the Group of Seven summit this week and that he agreed only because he “felt sorry for her.”

He also said Meloni was probably “happy that I talked to her, I didn’t have to talk to her.”

Meloni called the remarks “made up,” adding: “Neither I nor Italy ever beg.”

“I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,” Meloni, who leads Italy’s far-right government, wrote on X.

“I can only say that it’s a pity he doesn’t show the same determination with enemies of the West, with enemies of the United States, with leaders with whom, instead, he is far more accommodating,” she said.

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At the end of the Group of Seven summit in Evian on Wednesday, Meloni had described the atmosphere as “very positive” and said there was “no friction” between Trump and other leaders. She also said she and Trump both had “quite strong characters.”

Meloni was seen several times with Trump at the summit, including in a meeting on a sofa after which he appeared to pat her shoulder.

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Meloni called Trump’s remarks at the time “unacceptable.”
World

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The United States on Thursday opened an investigation into Germany’s pharmaceutical pricing policies, a step that could lead to new tariffs.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said the probe would determine whether “persistent underpayment for innovative pharmaceutical products by Germany is unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restricts US commerce.”

The investigation was launched under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. It followed similar Trump administration trade probes in recent months involving dozens of trading partners over issues including forced labor and industrial overcapacity.

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Greer also cited concerns about Germany’s plans to fast-track legislation “that would further reduce its spending on innovative pharmaceuticals.”

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A U.S. strike on suspected drug smugglers in the Eastern Pacific on Thursday killed three people, U.S. Southern Command said.

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Finance & Markets

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With U.S. cash markets closed for the Juneteenth holiday, S&P 500 futures fell 0.4% after the benchmark posted its best week since the end of May. Europe’s Stoxx 600 slipped 0.3%, and Asian stocks fell 0.4% from a record high. Markets in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan were closed.

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Pentagon seeking $80 billion for Iran war, other costs

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Tech & Artificial Intelligence

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Meta lobbied U.S. lawmakers for legal immunity from lawsuits alleging harm to children from Facebook and Instagram, according to Reuters.

Meta and Google, which owns YouTube, were ordered to pay a combined $6 million in damages after a Los Angeles jury found them negligent in a bellwether case alleging Instagram and YouTube were designed in ways that harmed a young user. Both companies said they planned to appeal.

Reuters reported that Meta proposed language tied to the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, now under consideration in the Senate. The proposed provision would make online companies “immune from suit or liability under state law with respect to all claims for loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the safety or privacy of individuals under the age of eighteen online or otherwise related to the provisions” of the bill.

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Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway told Reuters that the provision “does not extinguish existing lawsuits, nor does it represent blanket immunity.”

“Instead, it establishes uniform national standards for online youth safety, ensuring these critical issues are governed by comprehensive federal legislation, not plaintiffs’ lawyers or patchwork state legislation,” she said.

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The fan, who posts as @FreddyLA7 and has nearly 400,000 followers, shared posts about American culture and restaurant chains including Taco Bell, Chipotle, Waffle House, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wendy’s, Chili’s, and Buc-ee’s. His posts drew millions of views.

“Just had our first Waffle House experience at 1 a.m. Great food, great prices and friendly staff. 10/10, we will be coming back,” he wrote in one post.

Freddy also posted about visits to Walmart, Bass Pro Shops, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, and filming locations from the television series “Stranger Things.”

He also received several special-access experiences during the trip, including meeting country singer Ella Langley, touring sports facilities, and complimentary stays.

One stop was NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where he received a behind-the-scenes tour and spoke with astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

His posts drew notice from the Trump administration. Nick Adams, a senior official responsible for promoting U.S. tourism, said he had been in contact with Freddy about a visit to Washington.