Democrats in the US Congress are preparing an inquiry into the alleged politicisation of intelligence services during Donald Trump's second term, according to announcements from Democratic leaders. The investigation will cover employee dismissals and pressure on analysts to avoid politically sensitive topics, a shift in approach that followed the Democrats winning a majority in both houses of Congress in the 3 November mid-term elections.
Jim Himes, a Democrat from Connecticut who will take up the role of chair of the House Intelligence Committee in January, told Reuters that there is evidence of self-censorship among analysts and a decline in morale within the intelligence community due to political pressure. "There is clear evidence that analysts are hesitant to write about topics they believe could be controversial," Himes said.
Himes did not provide details on how the investigations would be conducted, but announced that one of the main objectives would be to shed light on dismissals he believes were politically motivated. "We will tell the stories of patriots who were fired for producing assessments that did not align with what the president wanted to be the truth," he said.
During the first two years of Trump's second term, Republicans who controlled Congress did not significantly address the state of US intelligence services. During that period, the administration dismissed or forced out hundreds of employees and disrupted the production of analyses on key international issues, including Iran.
Among the most significant personnel changes was a reduction of approximately 40 per cent in the staff of National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard's office last year. CIA Director John Ratcliffe publicly announced the elimination of more than 1,000 jobs over several years. Both institutions offered voluntary departure programmes with retention of pay and benefits.
Among the employees who left or were dismissed were experienced analysts and senior officials, including staff from the National Intelligence Council, an analytical body operating under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. At least two dismissed analysts had been involved in producing an assessment that contradicted the White House's official policy towards Venezuela.
