President Donald Trump's acting director of national intelligence has initiated firings at the agency, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Bill Pulte, a figure described as a Trump loyalist with no prior intelligence experience, assumed leadership of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) late last week. He had previously stated his intention to cut hundreds of jobs within the ODNI upon taking the role.

While the exact number of employees affected by the firings was not immediately disclosed, sources indicated that the National Counterterrorism Center is expected to experience significant reductions. The ODNI has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The White House directed inquiries to the ODNI, but pointed to a social media post from President Trump earlier this month. In the post, Trump stated he had tasked Pulte with executing an "immediate and needed downsizing of the office."

President Trump has been vocal about his desire for job cuts at the ODNI, previously remarking that the agency's size has been "way too high for way too long." He also reportedly told reporters he would not object to such reductions. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal this month, Trump expressed his wish for Pulte to commence the process of terminating ODNI personnel, noting Pulte's acting director role would allow him to operate with fewer constraints.

Pulte's appointment as acting director follows a tumultuous period for the ODNI leadership. President Trump had initially nominated U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the permanent director position. However, Trump abruptly announced last week that Clayton's confirmation process would be delayed until Jamie McDonald, his nominee for U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is confirmed.

Pulte officially took over the agency last Friday, making Monday his second full day in the position. He is known within the Trump administration for initiating investigations into individuals perceived as political opponents of the president, based on allegations of misconduct.

Pulte's background is primarily associated with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), where he served as director. During his tenure there, the FHFA, along with mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, began implementing new credit score models for mortgages, the first such changes in decades.