The CIA has come under scrutiny after sending an unclassified email listing recent hires to the White House and the Office of Personnel Management, raising concerns about national security and exposing intelligence officers to potential foreign threats. The move, first reported by The New York Times, comes as the agency seeks to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at reducing the federal workforce.
The list, which includes new employees who have been with the agency for two years or less, contains only first names and last initials. However, intelligence officials and lawmakers have warned that even this limited disclosure could be exploited by foreign adversaries. "I am very concerned that the CIA shared identifying details about its officers on an unclassified system," said Rep. Jim Himes (D., Conn.), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. "Those details are secret for a reason-because protecting the identities of CIA employees is critical to their safety and mission, a mission that helps keep Americans safe every day."
Sen. Mark Warner (D., Va.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, echoed those concerns, particularly regarding officers working on China-related intelligence. "Exposing the identities of officials who do extremely sensitive work would put a direct target on their backs for China. A disastrous national security development," Warner said.
CIA officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the security risks but described the email as the "least bad option" to comply with the White House directive while attempting to safeguard officer identities. Some of the listed employees have uncommon first names, which could make them vulnerable to being identified through publicly available data.
While the CIA has not disclosed whether any officers will be dismissed as part of the administration's push to downsize federal agencies, officials confirmed that buyout offers-initially unavailable to national security personnel-have now been extended to some agency employees. "Director [John] Ratcliffe is moving swiftly to ensure the CIA workforce is responsive to the administration's national security priorities," a CIA spokesperson said. "These moves are part of a holistic strategy to infuse the agency with renewed energy, provide opportunities for rising leaders to emerge, and better position the CIA to deliver on its mission."
Critics argue that the decision to share new hire information over an unclassified channel reflects broader dysfunction in the administration's handling of national security personnel. The move could complicate the careers of young officers, some of whom may now be deemed too high-risk for future undercover assignments. "As a practical matter, the CIA may now consider it too risky to send them to dangerous postings for fear they will be identified before they even start," one intelligence source familiar with the situation said.
The email's disclosure comes at a time when the administration is aggressively restructuring federal agencies, including through large-scale reductions at USAID and changes to the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. Intelligence leaders warn that such efforts risk undermining national security and weakening America's intelligence capabilities at a time of heightened geopolitical threats.
The CIA has not commented on whether it plans to take additional steps to mitigate potential security risks resulting from the email. The White House also did not respond to requests for comment.
